SOFT BROWN SCALE

(Coccus hesperidum)

Attacks a wide variety of field, ornamental, houseplants, and greenhouse plants; a world-wide
problem.

DESCRIPTION

Adult Females are wingless bumps that are oval or round, soft, and legless, 1/10 to 1/5 inch
(2.5-5 mm) in size. Adult males are very small, almost minute, with yellow wings. Early-stage
larvae are called "crawers" and look like miniture mealybugs; as they grow older, they
become immobile.

LIFE CYCLE

Females of some species lay as many as 2,000 eggs; other species can give birth to several
nymphs each day. Nymphs are mobile for a short time and then they settle down and the
females molt into an immobile form. They can have 1 or 2 generations per year outdoors, and
up to 6 generations on indoor plants.
 PLANTS MOST AFFECTED

Citrus, many fruits and houseplants, various ornamental trees and shrubs.

DAMAGE

This is a piercing-sucking insect that sucks plant sap at all stages of its development, causing
leaves to yellow and die. In severe infestations, plants will die. Soft brown scale secrete a
sticky clear substance known as "honeydew" which provides the ideal environment to a
fungus called "sooty mold" which can be more damaging than the scale itself. Sooty mold
blackens the leaf, decreases photosynthesis activity, decreases vigor, and often causes
disfigurement of the host plant. When the sooty mold occurs on fruit, it often becomes
unmarketable or of a lower grade, as the fungus is difficult to wash off.

MEANS OF CONTROL

Adult scales are protected from insecticides or sprays by waxy coverings, so spray control
measures should be aimed at unprotected immatures (crawlers). Spot treatments should be
applied when scales are present. Applications of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil will kill
scales, but at least three treatments are needed to control an infestation. Repeat every six to
seven days until scales have been eradicated. Dead scales do not fall from plants, so you'll
have to examine plants to determine whether the scales are dead or alive. Crush the scale - if
it's dry, the scale is dead; if the body is juicy or leaves a streak when smeared on a piece of
paper it was alive.

Prevention:
Prune and destroy infected branches and plant parts.

Control:
 Wipe or brush off branches and stems with a soft cloth and water

Spray dormant oil on fruit and ornamental trees

Insecticidal sprays like Volck oil and neem oil for control of crawlers may be applied