Last week I posted about these mystery things (I didn’t know if they were bugs, growths, or what) that appeared on my lemon tree.
It turns out that they are citrus scale!!!!
From the way that the ants hang out all over them, I’m guessing that they are soft citrus scale rather than armored. Soft scale secrete a substance that is called honeydew, which is why the ants are probably all over them. Similar to how the ants are with aphids.
From what I’ve researched so far, it is easier to deal with soft scale. Apparently, armored scale need some aggressive tactics to get rid of them.
Some recommendations for battling soft scale include:
- Trimming away the infested branches – This allows more light and better airflow, which is a less favorable environment for scale, but a preferred one for their predators.
- Introduce natural predators – such as lady bugs, parasitic wasps, and lacewings
- Apply horticultural oils – Neem oil is an example. It may require multiple rounds.
- Scrubbing or picking them off by hand
For now, I’m going to try using a neem oil spray as well as scrubbing the dastardly scale off. Wish me luck and I’ll post the results later