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cowsRmeat
Don't step on the MomeRaths



Registered: 04/23/14
Posts: 3,153
Loc: Wonderland
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Is this Scale on my Lemon tree?
#22247544 - 09/16/15 07:19 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Found a whole pile of ants gathered around a fork in one of the branches of my Lemon tree today. They seemed to be 'gathering' or 'tending' these oblong bumps on the young branches and on a leaf or two.
Is this scale? This is the first I've ever seen of these around the garden. I took the liberty of scraping them off with my finger after I took some pics....



-------------------- One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. 'Which road do I take?' she asked. 'Where do you want to go?' was his response. 'I don't know', Alice answered. 'Then', said the cat, 'it doesn't matter.'
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natedawgnow
Rocky mountain hood rat



Registered: 02/09/15
Posts: 8,939
Loc: ation
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: cowsRmeat]
#22248070 - 09/16/15 08:44 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Definitely looks like scale.
Ants are attracted to scale because they secreet a sweet honeydew like substance as they suck sap and sugars from your plant.
Wipe em all off!
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta




Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: cowsRmeat]
#22249342 - 09/17/15 02:24 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Definitely scale insect there. Scratch as many as you can off and then treat the plant with neem or horticultural/mineral oil, to get any that you missed. Do this once or twice a week until they go away. It suffocates them.
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cowsRmeat
Don't step on the MomeRaths



Registered: 04/23/14
Posts: 3,153
Loc: Wonderland
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: karode13]
#22252419 - 09/17/15 05:56 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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 Will do, guys. Thanks for the ID
-------------------- One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. 'Which road do I take?' she asked. 'Where do you want to go?' was his response. 'I don't know', Alice answered. 'Then', said the cat, 'it doesn't matter.'
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kosmokratorshaman
Cosmic Creator


Registered: 05/13/15
Posts: 1,206
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: cowsRmeat]
#22254749 - 09/18/15 06:57 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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He said they were being tended by ants. I think it might aphids.
-------------------- I am.
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kizatzhaddarak
Fairy Tail



Registered: 10/13/14
Posts: 775
Loc: Pacific Northwest
Last seen: 5 years, 9 months
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Yep, I see citrus scale, besides the ants and aphids. these guys are NASTY. They will invade root systems too. They will travel to other tropical plant species at times too. I hate to use chems CowsRmeat, But you are gonna need to do some intensive care to those plants.
You could try my pepper mace tea recipe, along with Karode's Neem oil reccomendation.
Many of those insects have book lungs and such, so if you apply oils, it suffocates them.
I like to use more natural products for insecticides, Like Pyrethrum chrystanthemum.. Nicotinia (tobacco), Garlic, Capcicum -(Hot chilis), (also black pepper and nutmeg/mace) And If you combine all, into a strong tea, it works great.. Just make sure you strain out the bits real well, before you put it in a spray bottle, and make sure you wear a mask, and don't breathe it in.
You will be amazed just how fast the critters Die on the plant, with the tea spray..lol. and, it soaks in soil and begins to work on the critters in the soil, and roots too.
I have a plumeria plant that is recovering from a spider mite infestation right now, and I treated it with tobacco.
If you do not have any Nicotinia growing, you can go to the store and buy a cheap cigar, (unflavored). and use that for your tea.. But, I have some Nicotinia rustica growing in my yard for pesticide use.
I will make note, Tobacco, makes an excellent bug killer / repellant, however I recomend caution using it on on Tomato plants, Because Tobacco Mosaic Virus, can be passed to tomato plants, and infect tomato plants.
-------------------- The Sleeper Must Awaken! (I do not advocate the ingestion of any substance without extensive research, and or the advice of trained medical and or spiritual personelle)
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta




Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Quote:
kosmokratorshaman said: He said they were being tended by ants. I think it might aphids.
You need to learn what an Aphid looks like. These are definitely scale insect.
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natedawgnow
Rocky mountain hood rat



Registered: 02/09/15
Posts: 8,939
Loc: ation
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: karode13]
#22257599 - 09/18/15 07:08 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Ya plus ants are attracted to scale as well because of the sweet substances they excreet.
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404
error


Registered: 08/20/10
Posts: 14,539
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: cowsRmeat]
#22260648 - 09/19/15 03:12 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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yep. those ants you see? those little guys are farming them for honey dew.
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kosmokratorshaman
Cosmic Creator


Registered: 05/13/15
Posts: 1,206
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: 404]
#22261498 - 09/19/15 06:42 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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I have never heard of scale being tended by ants. I was not aware of that. I didn't really see the pics well on my phone, so I went by what I read. No need to be a dick.
-------------------- I am.
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natedawgnow
Rocky mountain hood rat



Registered: 02/09/15
Posts: 8,939
Loc: ation
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I don't think he was being a dick. Inflection is damn near impossible to interpret via messaging, but i am pretty sure he was just trying to be informative.
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404
error


Registered: 08/20/10
Posts: 14,539
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: natedawgnow]
#22261628 - 09/19/15 07:10 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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i'm not even sure what he's on about, i wasn't even talking to him. i was just saying that ants farm scale, as well as other bugs
http://antark.net/ant-life/ant-feeding/ant-farming/
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natedawgnow
Rocky mountain hood rat



Registered: 02/09/15
Posts: 8,939
Loc: ation
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: 404] 1
#22261647 - 09/19/15 07:14 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Tbat's what i was saying earlier in the thread as well. Ants are crafty little bastards!
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cowsRmeat
Don't step on the MomeRaths



Registered: 04/23/14
Posts: 3,153
Loc: Wonderland
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: 404]
#22261768 - 09/19/15 07:44 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
404 said: i'm not even sure what he's on about, i wasn't even talking to him. i was just saying that ants farm scale, as well as other bugs
He wasn't referring to you 404. It was another post.
Thanks everyone for your responses. It's definitely scale I am dealing with. Although luckily, it's a very small attack located only on a single leaf area and a couple inches of stem. I've scraped at em and will be treating with a tea spray this weekend.
Luckily (or not), I don't see aphids. I've dealt with those before and these look different. Looking back at the pics, they might not have been the clearest for everyone too see.
Again though, thanks everyone for the help. I'll treat the tree and hopefully will have some good news to share soon.
-------------------- One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. 'Which road do I take?' she asked. 'Where do you want to go?' was his response. 'I don't know', Alice answered. 'Then', said the cat, 'it doesn't matter.'
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta




Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Your pictures were good cows.
Quote:
kosmokratorshaman said: I have never heard of scale being tended by ants. I was not aware of that. I didn't really see the pics well on my phone, so I went by what I read. No need to be a dick.
I'm assuming this was directed at me. Learning to use the reply to feature will help when communicating here.
Sorry if I hurt your feelings but it was obvious these were not Aphids. They have Six legs for starters, while scale have none. I said you need to learn because, well, you do. It will make you a better gardener and person. Many insects that feed off plants secrete honeydew, the sugary substance in their frass(poo). Not just Aphids.
Don't read my posts as being condescending. I dont mean them to come across like this. When I do want to be condescending it will be quite clear.
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kizatzhaddarak
Fairy Tail



Registered: 10/13/14
Posts: 775
Loc: Pacific Northwest
Last seen: 5 years, 9 months
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: karode13]
#22268461 - 09/21/15 08:55 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Hey Cows.. I hope your treatment is going well.. Like I said before. just keep a close eye on your plants. I have had scale, get under the soil and attack root systems too. In other words.. Monitor them closely. Because, you may get all the critters above the soil line, and still have infestation issues on the roots. Monitor your plants. if the above soil portions have no insects, but the plant looks sick..they may still be attacking stem sections under soil, or roots even.
good luck, and keep us posted.
-------------------- The Sleeper Must Awaken! (I do not advocate the ingestion of any substance without extensive research, and or the advice of trained medical and or spiritual personelle)
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404
error


Registered: 08/20/10
Posts: 14,539
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i hear dish liquid is the way to go to treat root infestations.... is this true? supposed to smother the insects and prevent them from breathing because they breathe through their exoskeletons
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kizatzhaddarak
Fairy Tail



Registered: 10/13/14
Posts: 775
Loc: Pacific Northwest
Last seen: 5 years, 9 months
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Re: Is this Scale on my Lemon tree? [Re: 404]
#22282536 - 09/24/15 08:16 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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@ 404.
Yes and no. . It is true, that is what it does. (smothers them), but difficult to get the soap to soak into the soil in sufficient amount to be effective without doing serious damage to the plant. Because in general it would sit on the top layer of the soil and accumulate.
A drop or 2 of liquid dish soap to a sprayer bottle with (nicotine and chili) will help the natural chems and volatile oils to stick to the critters. the soap is great for spraying on the plant's leaves and stems, etc.
I suggest nicotine and chili and garlic etc, to drive the critters out of the soil. The nicotine and capcicum(chili oil) should not damage most plants. I have used it on succulents too without it damaging them. The Oils will soak into the soil.
-------------------- The Sleeper Must Awaken! (I do not advocate the ingestion of any substance without extensive research, and or the advice of trained medical and or spiritual personelle)
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