SAGO PALMS: White egg looking bugs? HELP!

[LuvMyFerris]

I have had Sago Palms in every landscape in all of my homes present and past for the last 30 years but just until this past summer have I ever encountered this: Some of my Sagos' (which were planted in summer of 2008 in our new home's landscape) have turned brown on some leafs, prones or whatever the correct term is? After further review its appears to be due to these tiny larva looking eggs or whatever they are? :dizzy:

http://webpages.charter.net/todbnla/sago1.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/todbnla/sago%20002.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/todbnla/sago%20003.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/todbnla/sago%20004.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/todbnla/sago%20006.jpg

What is this and more importantly how do I treat and stop this from happening to all the ones not effected?

[TMK]

Looks like scale_I have revived Sego Palms like this with Malethyon (sp??)

[greendoctor]

This is Asian Cycad Scale. It is very hard to control with conventional insecticides. I suggest you get a professional who will drench the plants with the correct systemic insecticide and spray the foliage with an insect growth regulator to halt the progression of this pest.

[LuvMyFerris]

Greendoctor and others, thanks for the info!

[TMK]

I believe the scale is transporte by ants.

[greendoctor]

http://acs.ifas.ufl.edu/ Most of what works is not available to homeowners. Be careful about washing off the scales with a jet of water. The pressure needed to move the tightly attached scales will bruise and break fronds. I personally use a soil injection of Safari 20 SG, followed by a spraying of Talus IGR in Ultrafine oil.

[DLAWNS]

This is Asian Cycad Scale. It is very hard to control with conventional insecticides. I suggest you get a professional who will drench the plants with the correct systemic insecticide and spray the foliage with an insect growth regulator to halt the progression of this pest.

Damn, you beat me to it. I also believe horticulture oil helps suffocate them. Hope this helps!

[greendoctor]

Horticultural oil is good for whatever scale crawlers you contact. However, you need an IGR to break this pest's insane reproductive cycle. It is also not advised to oil a plant more than 4 times per year. I have seen damage caused by people spraying oil more than 4 times.

[DLAWNS]

Horticultural oil is good for whatever scale crawlers you contact. However, you need an IGR to break this pest's insane reproductive cycle. It is also not advised to oil a plant more than 4 times per year. I have seen damage caused by people spraying oil more than 4 times.

Good point, it's been a while since I worked with that southern stuff! lol

[greendoctor]

If I am going to use more than a 1/2% spray of hort. oil, it is from now until March. Unfortunately, you need more like 2% oil to kill scales. That is why I hate it when the politically correct tell homeowners to not use pesticides and just use oil, be it neem oil or hort. oil. Both can cause severe damage if applied in the wrong season or in excessive amounts. You used to work in Florida, right? This is sounding familiar, then.

[DLAWNS]

If I am going to use more than a 1/2% spray of hort. oil, it is from now until March. Unfortunately, you need more like 2% oil to kill scales. That is why I hate it when the politically correct tell homeowners to not use pesticides and just use oil, be it neem oil or hort. oil. Both can cause severe damage if applied in the wrong season or in excessive amounts. You used to work in Florida, right? This is sounding familiar, then.

Yeah, I worked down there for about two years. I used the hort oil in conjunction with other pesticides to try and fight those little bastards. I used to work for a large company that did a lot of resorts and that asian scale made the sagos look like crap.

[ed2hess]

Have been there and did the oil thing....as painful as it might seem you have got to get every one of those things cleaned off with brushes and rags. They won't ever just go away and have a nice looking plant unless you do.

[tamadrummer]

The thing with the oil is that it will help with the ones you can see on the outside of the plant but the root ball and every other part of the sago is totally covered with them,

As GreenDoctor said, a systemic can help but they are very resistant to most of the systemics as well.

Ric may be able to help here but I don't think imidicloparid is effective against the sago scales.

There is also a grub getting into the palms that is not affected by systemics and once it is in the palm it is over fast! It is a flipping huge grub too!

Listen to GreenDoctor and get a pro out there to treat the plants. Spray some soaps or oils or both back to back treatments between now and March/April depending on the temps in your area.

Good Luck and if all else fails get rid of the Sagos because you will be fighting them forever!

[greendoctor]

The only systemic labeled and proven to work is dinotefuran(Safari 20 SG). Imidacloprid(Merit) does not translocate quickly enough and in adequate concentrations to do the job.

[greendoctor]

Yeah, I worked down there for about two years. I used the hort oil in conjunction with other pesticides to try and fight those little bastards. I used to work for a large company that did a lot of resorts and that asian scale made the sagos look like crap.

The only spike to the oil I bother with is either Talus or Distance. Both of those are IGRs. OP insecticides are very good for scales, but most of them are illegal in landscapes.

[LuvMyFerris]

Thanks guys but in the rural area I live, I am sure no one can even pronounce the name of those products, much less know about these pests. I purchased these from Lowes at what I though was an unbelievable price, perhaps like someone mentioned maybe their from china and that explains the low cost? Not sure how I will proceed but I saw a small magnolia in our landscape has a similar bug on it although I do not think its the same?
I would gladly pay for treatment but like I say, I doubt anyone other than a professional in another city would be familiar with this pest. Sagos here (LA and MS) are very popular in landscapes and I am sure this will be a big headache for landscapers in our area. :(

[Rhett]

Any one try insect killing soap? Did one course of that than washed the plants once a week for a couple of weeks with lemon joy and scale was gone. Not a chem guy but saved my wifes plant. For an hour or so I was a hero.

[TMK]

I heard the same remedy the other day from someone.

[LuvMyFerris]

Any one try insect killing soap? Did one course of that than washed the plants once a week for a couple of weeks with lemon joy and scale was gone. Not a chem guy but saved my wifes plant. For an hour or so I was a hero.

As soon as this cold front, rain fest passes I will try that this weekend but from what I hear, these things get all the way down to the roots?