They’re Back. Scale Bugs. Ew.
Ok, see this? This is what teeny tiny scale bugs look like when they’re newborns. They’re whitish. Torpedo-shaped. They don’t move around much. You probably won’t see them moving at all. In fact, they are so tiny, you can barely see them unless you’re looking, or unless you happen to have a camera with a serious macro lens. Actual size: ummmm, I’m looking around my desk for something really really tiny. Ohp. Got it. Go get the newspaper. Any newspaper will do. Well, not a large print one, a regular one, like The New York Times. Ok, now go reduce it on a copier about 40 percent. Find a comma. That’s how big these baby scale bugs are. In a week or so, they’ll be about the size of a pencil eraser, and they’ll be purple, and they won’t move at all. They’ll just sit there on my tree and suck.
I hate scale bugs.
For last year’s scale bug drama, click here. (If you have the stomach for it.)
This is precisely why I love your blog, I always learn something new about nature. And of course the photos are incredible. Sorry about the tree leaches. Do they harm the tree?
Comment by Leah — May 2, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Scale bugs suck! (no pun intended) I think that’s what killed my father-in-law’s yellow plum two years ago. I just planted one (yellow plum) in my backyard so I’d better keep an eye out for those suckers (again, no pun intended)
; )
Comment by Bumatay — May 2, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
Gross. I’ve always wondered why God made such ugly bugs!
Comment by Colleen — May 2, 2007 @ 10:57 pm
Euck! Gross, but informative!
Comment by Nataly Lemus — May 3, 2007 @ 11:22 am
Yea, pretty gross, but great info. Always a pleasure stopping by your blog.
Comment by Mr Greenhouse — June 19, 2007 @ 9:16 am
I read all you blog on this tree and I’m still thinking of purchasing one.
What do you put on this tree to prevent the scale-bugs.
Comment by eg — October 5, 2007 @ 1:30 am
Hi EG,
I’m kind of a purist (read: lazy) when it comes to putting things on my trees. I think the best way to prevent scale bugs on plum trees is to keep the air flowing in the inside of the tree. Scale bugs do not like sunshine and free-flowing air! So I found that as long as I pruned newly growing inner branches and pruned any big branches that were blocking a good portion of sun, the scale bugs stayed in check. Good luck. I have to admit, they are pretty trees, especially in spring and summer. (Not so great in fall though, but who cares about that when we have such great sugar maples and red maples and oaks and ginkgoes and dogwoods?)
Comment by Jules — October 5, 2007 @ 7:58 am