Mealy bug infestations on Crepe Myrtles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here who had the arborist come take a look -- the infestation isn't too terrible yet. There is a treatment we can do in the coming month that will help for next year and we don't have to take down the trees.

He mentioned that along with the scale comes aphids, so if you have scale then you probably also have aphids and what looks like a black, sooty mold. If you see white spots on crepe myrtles, definitely call an arborist to come take a look. You can apply an insecticide drench to the soil, too, which will help.

Did the arborist say when to use the insecticide? We have two with the infestation. I scrubbed one with soupy water, but the other one is soo think (and covered with bees). I really don't want to hurt the pollinators. I think scrubbing will be easier when the leaves fall. From what I'm seeing, it's not going to kill the tree, but it isn't pretty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here who had the arborist come take a look -- the infestation isn't too terrible yet. There is a treatment we can do in the coming month that will help for next year and we don't have to take down the trees.

He mentioned that along with the scale comes aphids, so if you have scale then you probably also have aphids and what looks like a black, sooty mold. If you see white spots on crepe myrtles, definitely call an arborist to come take a look. You can apply an insecticide drench to the soil, too, which will help.

Did the arborist say when to use the insecticide? We have two with the infestation. I scrubbed one with soupy water, but the other one is soo think (and covered with bees). I really don't want to hurt the pollinators. I think scrubbing will be easier when the leaves fall. From what I'm seeing, it's not going to kill the tree, but it isn't pretty.

They would being the treatment at the end of August with the possibility of another one next summer. You might be able to wait a bit but I’m not sure…

[Anonymous]

We had crepe myrtle scale in our yard about this time last year. Two treatments (about 2 months apart) and the tree was 100% better by this spring. Takes time for the bark to replenish and the black/sticky substance to slough off. Make sure they treat nearby plants because it doesn't just impact crepe myrtles.

It is yuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had crepe myrtle scale in our yard about this time last year. Two treatments (about 2 months apart) and the tree was 100% better by this spring. Takes time for the bark to replenish and the black/sticky substance to slough off. Make sure they treat nearby plants because it doesn't just impact crepe myrtles.

It is yuck.

Did you do it yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had crepe myrtle scale in our yard about this time last year. Two treatments (about 2 months apart) and the tree was 100% better by this spring. Takes time for the bark to replenish and the black/sticky substance to slough off. Make sure they treat nearby plants because it doesn't just impact crepe myrtles.

It is yuck.

Did you do it yourself?

No.

[Anonymous]

For the person who treated - would you share who you used? We are desperate!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the person who treated - would you share who you used? We are desperate!

DP. we called Merrifield and they told us what to use. Super easy. Bring pics of the issue to the nursery. Or if you bring leaf clippings they’ll look under microscope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/crapemyrtle-bark-scale/

Holy Moly. This is a new invasive pest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the person who treated - would you share who you used? We are desperate!

I’m one of the PP’s and we will be using Bartlett’s to treat.

[Anonymous]

PP who treated successfully. We used Davey Tree.

[Anonymous]

I got a brush with stiff bristles after my Crepe Myrtles and it has helped. I just brushed the limbs until I didn't see them anymore. The smaller branches that are covered with mealy bugs, I cut off. It seems to me the drenching rains we had caused this infestation and the more sun and heat we get seems to kill them.

[Anonymous]

I use fertilome systemic insecticide off Amazon. You mix with water and pour it around the tree base.

[Anonymous]

Yes it is totally treatable. Tons of crepe Myrtle’s with it in Nova as well. We got ours treated by an arborist

[Anonymous]

^ Bartlett’s for us as well