INSECT ID · SUCKING PEST
Wax scale
Also called Wax scales, Florida wax scale, soft scale
A scale insect that looks like a waxy white bump on twigs and leaves. It sucks sap and leaves sticky honeydew that grows black sooty mold.
How to spot it
- Round, dome-shaped bumps stuck to twigs and leaves
- Thick, wet-looking coat of white, beige, pinkish, or gray wax
- About 1/8 inch across, big enough to see without a magnifier
- Sticky leaves with black sooty mold
- Common on holly, gardenia, pyracantha, ficus, and hawthorn
Why it shows up
Adult females spend the winter on the plant. Eggs hatch over two or three weeks in spring, around April. There can be two or more generations a year. The sticky honeydew they leave feeds sooty mold.
How we treat it
We will identify it on a visit and recommend the right fix. Some scales are hard to find and hard to control, so a close look helps. If it is heavy, we will talk through your options with you.
What you can do
- Look closely at twigs and leaf undersides for waxy bumps.
- Watch hollies and other shrubs for sticky, blackened leaves.
- Call us for a look before you buy a spray.
WANT IT HANDLED?
Let a licensed applicator take it from here.
Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.
Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138