karei, everything I'm reading says the same thing....to wait until later in the summer when the crawlers are present and use horticultural oil. It says you can tap an infested branch over a white piece of paper to see if the crawlers are present. I think you just have to sit tight.

One web site mentioned a caterpillar that is a predator that might build webs near the scale so they can break into the scale and eat at their leisure. Hope this helps.
Pam

Pam, Thank you. That's what I also read (about waiting). I'd try to look up info on those caterpillars.

Would it be possible to pick them up and put them in some soap solution or something of that sort as a temporary measure for now? (to reduce the harm done)

Thanks,
Viji

You can scrape the adults off with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol, or a credit card side. But it's an awful lot of work, unless your tree's really small.

May be when I get bored, I could do this :-) Thank you!