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stewartsjon

Do you think my plant has bugs?

stewartsjon
9 years ago

I think I may have a slight Snow Scale infestation on my Areca Palm...

...I'm just kidding, this was a refurbishment job I undertook this week. The local fire service office had bought a dozen plants about three years ago and looked after them themselves. Most were fine but four of the Arecas looked like this.

By the time we had got them back to base and binned them the van and both of us were covered in it. Lovely!

On a lower level I've found Snow Scale to be treatable with Thiaclroprid-based chemicals. But not this much.

Comments (7)

  • plantomaniac08
    9 years ago

    Snow scale? I've never heard of that. Is that another name for mealybug (looks like a severe infestation of mealybug to me)?

    Planto

  • christine1950
    9 years ago

    I agree with what Planto posted.

  • paul_
    9 years ago


    @ Planto & Christine: Nope. Snow scale and mealies are two different, albeit closely related, pests. Snow scale is so named because the males are white/whitish.

    @ Jon: I'd have to agree with Planto & Christine -- looks like a major mealybug infestation, not snow scale. If the white stuff is cottony, somewhat tacky then it is definitely mealybugs. In some respects, mealies are much easier to eradicate than scale. However, mealies can take up shop in the plant's root zone (referred to as soil mealies).

    The crawlers (larvae/nymphs) can easily hitch a ride on clothing or skin and be transferred to other plants so take care.

    Soapy water or straight rubbing alcohol can take care of the adults and crawlers that are exposed. But to kill off any hiding in crevices or in the soil, you will probably need to use a systemic.

  • christine1950
    9 years ago

    Thank you Paul, I learned something new today. Jon, good luck getting rid of the nasty suckers...

  • stewartsjon
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Trust me, it's Snow Scale - aka Pinnaspis strachani

    I know the difference and I agree that they are hard to tell apart. There was a big flare up of this on European houseplants a couple of years ago which seems to have died down now.

    I tried to post a link to a Google result - if you Google it you'll see the resemblance.

  • plantomaniac08
    9 years ago

    Paul and Jon,
    Okay, I'm with Christine on this one. I've learned something new today. Either way, it looks pretty severe and I hope you will be able to get rid of them entirely.

    Planto

  • stewartsjon
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh they went in the bin! No point in trying to save them.

    I assure you it was snow scale - they might look similar in a photo but they are quite easy to tell apart in the flesh.

    Mealy Bug are, I believe, technically part of the scale family in any case.

    Snow Scale is a funny one; it only affects certain plants, particularly Marginatas, Aspidistras and Arecas. But it can really hit them.

    On the plus side it seems to be quite lazy, i.e. you can have two plants in close proximity and one will be infected , the other healthy.

    But it can be eradicated on a plant with persistence, I've done it.