scale, perhaps?

If so, horticultural oil is what I've used in the past (though never on apple trees, just haven't had the problem)

~CHills

It is some kind of mite or psylla or aphid thing. The ants give that away. Hit them with summer oil. Many oils work both as dormant and growing season, the latter at a much smaller dose. Read the instructions carefully to make sure you are mixing it properly for a growing season spray.

Scott

I'm in a similar boat. I'm pretty sure that I have scales on both my apples and my almond. What is this "oil" that you refer to? I've seen it mentioned before but don't know specifics. My trees that are afflicted have already leafed out this season. I'm getting ready to lay down some sevin granuals and do a little tangle foot to take care of the ants but need to address the scales. What is the difference between a winter spray and summer spray?

Sorry...I'm not hyjacking your thread. :-)

Kristiina

It ws said:
"It is some kind of mite or psylla or aphid thing. The ants give that away."

Ants tend plants which have pests producing honeydew.

The common honeydew producers are aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, several sorts of scale (but not armored scale, which is sometimes called hard scale) and, on conifers, adelgids.

Mites don't produce honeydew.

IMHO it's from aphids. I've always called these galls and they occur when the site has been infested with aphids for more than one year. I think wooley apple aphid, but I could be wrong about that. You can spray them with oil, but I think one sign of their presence is that your trees are too bushy. anyway that 's what I think, may be wrong.