Please help identify a small limpet like bug!

[elsmore1]

Hi, I have some small bugs which look like limpets on my apple tree, when I touch them they are quite soft and can fall off easily, they dont seem to be doing any damage yet!


Picture is from mobile phone so focus is not good, but would appreciate comments so I could investigate more thanks

[Jim Ford]

Scale insects.

They're harmful to the tree as they suck the sap. Their sugary excretions also drip onto the leaves and cause sooty mould to form.

JIm

[Jason Green]

Evening Els,

Yes, Scale Insects. We have a University-based expert recently joined here, Chris-something who should be helpful if he sees it.

Take care,

Jason

[elsmore1]

I checked the little blighters and they came off easily and seem dead and just crumbled away, looks like no damage done to the tree but at least i know what they are now

thanks

[JRsbugs]

If they crumbled they have probably hatched into eggs, they don't lay eggs but turn into a mass of them! Make sure you remove the white fluffy stuff too.

I have tons of them this year on Camellia and Holly, you need to keep checking as they are masters at camouflage and will keep appearing. I only take them off the Camellias though.

Janet

[Chris Malumphy]

The insects on your apple are Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche, 1844) (Hemiptera: Coccidae), commonly known as 'brown scale' in Britain or 'European fruit lecanium' in the rest of Europe and North America. It occurs widely in Europe, Pakistan, North America and New Zealand. It is recorded feeding on plants belonging to 40+ families but is most common on Rosaceae. They feed on the plant sap and have one generation a year. It is native in the UK, widespread and an occasional pest. You can reduce the numbers by picking off the adult female scales, although the eggs have probably hatched by now. Birds and parasitic wasps normally keep this pest in check.

The scale insect commonly found on camellia and holly in Britain is Pulvinaria floccifera (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Coccidae). This is an Asian species that has been introduced and naturalised in Britain. It produces a conspicuous white waxy ovisac on the undersurfaces of the leaves.

[JRsbugs]

Hi Chris,

I have called the scale on my Camellias Pulvinaria floccifera, they usually don't manage to get to maturity before hatching but this year I found some which were much bigger. I lifted them off and took pics of the underside, they had small legs. The younger ones squash easily when you lift them but these were tougher.

The scale on holly is different, I haven't been able to find what they are so I might post them for ID. I have noticed the scale on the holly is disappearing, sparrows probably eat them thankfully but not much seems to like the Camellia scale (apart from ants feeding on the dew which can make them easier to find!), although I find the occasional lot of eggs which look to have been partly eaten.

[Chris Malumphy]

Dear Janet, there are a couple of scale insect species that feed on holly in Britain. The most common species is Pulvinaria floccifera (Westwood), followed by Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus and Dynaspidiotus britannicus (Newstead). Occasionally other non-native species are found on imported holly plants (eg. Ceroplastes spp.). I can identify the the scale on holly for you if you send a sample to Chris Malumphy, The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ. Regards, Chris

[JRsbugs]

Thanks Chris, these didn't look like Coccus hesperidum, I have had that too mainly on some citrus plants I had grown from seed and kept in a greenhouse (now frozen and dead!).

I took a pic on 7th May, last I looked I didn't see any but there could be some. I would be surprised if the birds had eaten them all! If it can't be identified from a photo I will see if I can find some to send to you. These were well raised in the middle like a helmet, maybe a little longer than Coccus hesperidum, perhaps ~4mm