For the past two years, we have been monitoring the activity of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale, as it moved its way up the East Coast. Now multiple media outlets are confirming that Crape Myrtles, a popular and beautiful tree found throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia, are under attack from this invasive pest.
Our soil scientists care about the health and beauty of your trees and shrubs, so we've written this blog to discuss the appearance of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale, trees it commonly targets, signs of an infestation, the damage it causes, and ways to protect your precious plants.
Crapemyrtle Bark Scale is a small insect that appears as tiny, white or grayish, waxy scales. They are about 1/16 inch in diameter and can be seen in clusters or individually.
You can guess by the name of the pest that crape myrtles are these insects favorite tree to munch on. However, in Maryland and Northern Virginia, they also target fig trees, persimmon trees, privet, pomegranate, American beautyberry, raspberries, and boxwoods.
These pests are most active in the spring between the months of April – May. During this time the over-wintering eggs hatch and the crawlers move throughout the trees. Another population will hatch again in the lat e summer causing crawlers to swarm on the tree as they feed and mate.
This scale will rarely kill the trees, but may heavily affect the healthiness of the tree, here are some examples:
Stunted growth with wilting or yellowing leaves: Crapemyrtle Bark Scale sucks nutrients from the tree, which slows growth and development. Over time this will cause the leaves to turn yellow and wilt.
Bark damage: Their feeding activity can lead to splitting, cracking, and peeling of the bark, leaving the tree vulnerable to other pests and diseases.
Sooty mold: This can reduce the tree’s ability to photosynthesize, make the tree look unsightly, and spread to surrounding trees.
Tree death: Crapemyrtle Bark Scale's activity can weaken a tree's immune system, making it more vulnerable to other pests and diseases.
Cultural control such as proper pruning and trimming of trees, along with proper planting locations, will help reduce the population. According to Maryland University Extension - “For large populations, scale suppression may require more than one year of intervention”. Treating a Crapemyrtle Bark Scale infestation requires a proper understanding of the pest and the appropriate treatment methods. Our soil scientists have formulated a program that will protect your precious plants. Crape myrtle, a popular and beautiful plant found throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia, is now under attack from an invasive pest, the crapemyrtle bark scale.