Scale or fruiting body for 100...

[Staplebus]

This is an Itoigawa juniper that is slowly but surely yellowing and new growth that has the tips crooked like a scale infestation. At first I was thinking fungal issue, but now I'm not so sure. What do these little brown dots look like to you, is this normal, am I crazy, or is there somthing going on here. Thanks!

 

[Staplebus]

And a pic just for look e loue. Purchased from driftwood bonsai a few weeks back.

 

[Staplebus]

I'm going to have to start treating this for scientology I guess. No offense to Tom cruise or any tax exempt organization.

 

[Srt8madness]

I don't have a clue but might as well pull anything off that looks like armored scale.

 

[rockm]

Looks like scale to me.

 

[Staplebus]

That's what I was thinking. I have safari to treat for scale via soil drench, but would a malithion foliar spray, or somthing else be a good thing to rotate with. I know they have 3 life stages but really don't know how to tell when/what they are...

 

[rockm]

That's what I was thinking. I have safari to treat for scale via soil drench, but would a malithion foliar spray, or somthing else be a good thing to rotate with. I know they have 3 life stages but really don't know how to tell when/what they are...

The "crawler" stage is when sprays can get them. That period lasts only a few hours to a day. Once they form shells, they are mostly impervious to water or liquid since the shell repels it. Systemic can get them, but that takes time. For a light infestation like yours, the best and most effective solution is simply to pick them off by hand. I use a short length of wire to stabs the little ba$@#!%s....

 

[Staplebus]

Thanks! Does the rubbing alcohol and q-tip thing do the trick? I'm all for stabbing but don't want to do any accidental damage to the foliage lol.