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Newport, United Kingdom Gb

Can anyone tell me what this pest is on my star jasmine which has been in a large pot on the patio for about 3 yrs. It looks quite healthy apart from having sticky leaves and a sooty-like substance on it. The bug-like things do not move and seem to be stuck to the stems and underside of the leaves.



Jasmine

Answers

 

Looks like a type of scale insect. They can be scraped off using a finger nail and ones all clear use a soap solution to prevent them coming back.

27 Apr, 2010

 

Thanks for the advice but I think its a bit too much to scrape off with a finger nail. The plant is about 7ft tall and is pretty much infested all through.

27 Apr, 2010

Sid
Sid
 

Yup - scale insects - and they're pretty much impossible to irradicate completely. I'm organic these days - I had some Pyracantha badly affected a few years ago and rather than spray with pesticide I decided to rip the shrubs out instead. THe sooty stuff you're seeing is a type of mould which grows on the honeydew (a nice word we use to refer to bug poo!!) If you decide to spray, do so late in the evening on a very still night - that way you'll kill as few as possible of the beneficial things like bees and ladybirds, although you'll still probably find dead ladybirds in the morning.

27 Apr, 2010

 

Thanks for the advice

27 Apr, 2010

How do I say thanks?

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