Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: JayG on September 05, 2021, 17:42

Title: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: JayG on September 05, 2021, 17:42

I have a small 'hedge' of variegated and green euonymus in my front garden, and not for the first time, they are looking very poorly and losing most of their leaves due to what looks like a bug infestation.

Each 'bug' is only a millimetre or so long, but the stems and some of the remaining leaves are smothered with them. They don't seem have legs or to move in any other way, so may even be eggs, or possibly some sort of fungal growth. :unsure:

Any ideas? 

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: mumofstig on September 05, 2021, 17:58

Is it a bad case of scale insect?

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: New shoot on September 05, 2021, 18:03

I think it is euonymus scale insect.  The males are white and there will also be brown females on the bark somewhere.

It is tricky to get shot of.  You are going to need a heavier duty insecticide than the usual Bug Clear spray guns.  Provado Ultimate Bug Killer or something similar that has a systemic action would be good.

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: mumofstig on September 05, 2021, 18:20

I have to paint my Oleander a couple of times, each year, with Bug Clear Ultra Concentrate (which is systemic) - the spray version didn't seem to work as well..
https://gardendirect.co.uk/garden-care/pest-weed-control/pesticides/bug-clear-ultra-concentrate

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: JayG on September 05, 2021, 21:05

Tried my 'all purpose' diluted washing up liquid remedy, which seemed to run straight off.  :nowink:

Will try a second dose, but am fully expecting to have to go for a more drastic solution (literally and metaphorically!)

Thanks guys.  :)

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: mumofstig on September 05, 2021, 21:10

They have a waxy coating which makes them hard to 'treat'  ::)

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: Subversive_plot on September 07, 2021, 08:34

They look like either juvenile scale, or mealybugs. Both of those are sap feeders. Usually a systemic insecticide is needed, such as acephate, or a neonicotinoid (like imidacloprid).

Washing up liquid solution could help knock the population down until a systemlc becomes effective.

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: Goosegirl on September 07, 2021, 14:04

I had something similar on my lupins and I used a spray that has a fungicide and an insecticide in and it soon cleared them off. It was called Roseclear  or something like that.

Title: Re: Strange bugs (?) on euonymus.
Post by: mrs bouquet on September 07, 2021, 14:59

Roseclear seems to have come my favourite, because it deals with everything.  Even the ants don;t like it !  Mrs Bouquet