Magnolia scale?

Question

How do i get rid of it? Is there a home brew i can use instead of pesticides?

Answer 1

Home brewed concoctions will not work with scale infestations. Scale is very hard to control unless you go to other methods such as a commercial pesticide. You may not like using them, but it is the only way to combat this pesky insect. Go to your local Walmart or Home Depot's garden section and pickup some liquid "Sevin". It comes in a concentrate which you mix yourself or a handy ready to use formula. Sevin is pretty mild as far as pesticides are concerned and is the most widely used pesticide on the market today, both commercially and by the private gardener. It will kill scale as well as many other unwanted insects. You should do a second application 7-10 days after the first, just to be sure everything was covered because the hard outer shell of the scale acts as a very good protective cover, so this second application is pretty well standard. It will not effect the foliage as long as the temperature is not over 85 degrees on the day you apply it. Always follow the directions on the product label when using pesticides.Hope this answers your question...

...Billy Ray

Answer 2

Natural Enemies

Scale insects can be attacked by a variety of lady beetles, predatory mites, and small parasitic wasps. Lady beetle adults and larvae can be seen but mites and parasitic wasps are very difficult to see. You can conserve natural enemies by using insecticidal soaps and oils which have limited impact on beneficial species in comparison to other control alternatives.