Cottony camellia scale

Cottony camellia scale appears as white, cottony egg sacs on branches and twigs of camellia, euonymus, and barberry in the Puget Sound, creating a distinctive fuzzy appearance especially noticeable in spring. You will see scale insects beneath the cotton-like coverings where they have fed on plant sap. Heavy infestations cause yellowing of foliage, leaf drop, and twig dieback. Damage becomes most visible as scales multiply through late spring and into summer.

Spray insecticidal soap when young crawlers settle on leaves in early summer; timing is critical for good coverage and effectiveness. Conserve lady beetles and parasitoid wasps that naturally control scale populations by avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides. Prune out infested twigs if infestation is light. Horticultural oil applied in dormancy can reduce overwintering populations. Heavily infested plants benefit from improved growing conditions; irrigate during drought and ensure adequate nutrition to restore plant vigor.