Gross! What Is This?

ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.)

8 years ago

I have two small lemon seedlings. I have no idea what this white stuff is. Aphids? They don't move.

His brother less than a metre away doesn't have the white stuff. He has a bit of sunburn though.

Halp?

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

8 years ago

Not wooly aphids nor whitefly hatchlings nor cottony cushion scale......but it IS scale. Precisely, it is Unaspis citri, citrus snow scale. Horticultural oils are the preferred treatment but multiple applications may be required. These creatures layer upon each other, often being 5-8 insects deep so the outer insects 'protect' the underneath insects.

If a smallish tree, I'd suggest thoroughly wiping down the stems, trunk and foliage with a Chlorox wipe, then spraying with the hort oil.

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Comments (19)

sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
8 years ago
Hi, can you take a really close up picture of that thing?
Laura LaRosa (7b)
8 years ago
I think they are aphids, but a close up would help.
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johnmerr
8 years ago
Probably scale.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
8 years ago
Citrus mealy bug? Closeup would help.
Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6
8 years ago
I would wash them off and then use HO. Or see if you can find a ladybug or two and they will have a feast :)
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.)
Original Author
8 years ago
Stupid question: what's HO? Hydrogen peroxide?
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.)
Original Author
8 years ago
These are about as good as I can get right now. Gross.
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
8 years ago
Scale.
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.) thanked Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
johnmerr
8 years ago
Thanks for the close-ups; looks like wooly aphid; brought by ants. Control your ants, you will control aphids. HO is horticultural oil; it works by smothering the bad guys.
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.) thanked johnmerr
Silica
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Not the common scale normally seen by growers on this forum, its a certain variety of scale called cottony cushion scale.
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.) thanked Silica
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.)
Original Author
8 years ago
Treatment is HO whether scale or aphids?
johnmerr
8 years ago
Cottony cushiony scale is another critter completely; I still say it is wooly aphid.
Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6
8 years ago
white fly hatchlings?. We went to the GH in Ann arbor and they had a Kieffer with exactly the same. Juvenile white flies looked like that and lots of adults or I would not have guessed
Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6
8 years ago
HO is Horticultural Oil
Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6
8 years ago
Thank you gardengal. Learned something new :) I wish we could have a file section for stuff like that.
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.)
Original Author
8 years ago
I've wiped & sprayed with thyme/rosemary oil, which may help a bit until I figure out where Neem is sold here. (I know, thyme/rosemary is more antifungal.)
ariel7576 (Puerto Vallarta, Mex.)
Original Author
8 years ago
As an update, the thyme/rosemary oil seems to be working well. I'll still pick up some Neem when I can, but I don't feel I have to rush to find it now.
sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
8 years ago
Keep spraying them from time to time!