Most pesticides do not work on these wee buggers and kill off the natural predators that could help control them. Encourage these natural predators to hang around. Dormant oil sprays can be helpful when used approapriately and sometimes superior (summer) oils can help depending on the plant species.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottony Cushion Scale

I thought that oils would burn in our 100 degree Texas heat so I have always been afraid to use them. Am I wrong about this?? I read alcohol and soap in sprits bottle similar to treating a small mealy bugs infestation. I tried it yesterday until my figure gave out and it seemed to help on those I sprayed but I know it is a temporary fix and I didnÂt get to every scale just the very visible ones. . Thanks for responding.

Dormant oils sprayed at the wrong time, 100 degree temperatures would be, can be harmful to the plants. dormant oils are meant to be sprayed when plants are dormant. The summer oils are less likely to cause problems but still need to be sprayed only when temperatures are below 80 degrees, at least evey label I have seen states that.
Alcohol sprays tend to do more harm to plants then most anything else unless so diluted as to be ineffective. The usual mix I have seen is about 1 part rubbing alcohol to 9 parts water which is much too weak to harm much of anything. Some people do report good results dipping a cotton swab in 70 percent rubbing alcohol and then dabbing that on each of those wee scales.