They are firmly attached to the twigs and branches of various trees and may be ¼ to ⅜ inch in diameter. During the summer, the scale enlarges by secreting wax resulting in a body several times greater than the overwintering form. Q: I have what I think is a fungus on the underside of my red maple. Unfortunately, these natural enemies are also extremely susceptible to pesticide applications, so timing chemical treatments properly is very important. Regular mosquito fogging is also blamed for killing of the predators and parasitoids. Description of cottony maple scale. Cottony Maple Scale. These tiny crawlers are small, flat, oval insects with two distinct eyes, short antennae and tiny legs. Cottony maple leaf scale females and egg sacs. Severely infested trees appear as though they were covered with a string of popcorn. Young females have a dark stripe down the middle and mottling at the sides. As honeydew collects on leaves and branches, bees, wasps and ants are attracted to the area to feed. Following a recommended fertility program and watering regime will promote plant health. Rarely, heavy infestations have been found to kill stressed or weakened trees. The overwintering form of the cottony maple scale is a small, brown, flattened 1/8 inch long scale attached to the bark of twigs and small branches. The trunk I believe is showing extensive canker damage from a fungal disease, possible tubercularia or nectria which could have been exacerbated through our tough winter temperatures this past winter. A close examination of the ovisacs reveals the eggs are held inside a sack-like matrix of sticky, silk-like material. This soft scale overwinters as a second instar nymph on the bark of host twigs and branches. However, every few years, these natural controls seem to fail and the cottony maple scale can reach epidemic proportions. Cottony taxus scale is a soft scale (produces a thin, waxy outer covering attached to insect) as opposed to a hard scale (produces a harder, outer shell not attached to the insect). Cottony Maple Scale is starting to hatch in the Treasure Valley. ; and poplar, Populus spp. When we do see it, however, the show is spectacular. Crawlers may be managed with an application of a registered insecticide made in late June and repeated according to label directions in early July. Pulvinaria innumerabilis (cottony maple scale) is a small, flattened, brown scale insect about 1/8" long. Cottony Maple Scale starts off as an unnoticeable, brown scale. Dormant oil sprays have been traditionally used to manage many scales on ornamental trees. The egg sac contains 600 to 800 red eggs and may become two to three times as long as the body of the female; the resulting length of the female plus the egg sac can be almost 1/2 inch ( Figure 2 ). Second instar cottony maple scale nymphs. Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. Certain insecticides may cause damage to soft maples; do not apply insecticidal soap to Japanese maple. The fungus is on almost every leaf. Male scales are tiny, winged insects. At maturity, the females produce the white, cottony egg masses, called ovisacs, over a period of several weeks. At maturity, the females produce the white, cottony egg masses, called ovisacs, over a period of several weeks. Authored by: Gregory A. Hoover, Sr. Extension Associate. COTTONY MAPLE SCALE is an insect pest of maples, especially silver maples and locust trees primarily, but also will infest several other species. Each mass usually contains 1,000-1,500 eggs. These wasps lay eggs inside the nymphs, in which their developing larvae feed on the pest from the inside out. Immature females are flat and inconspicuous. Some of the leaves look like they are being eaten by the fungus. Honeydew promotes the growth of a black sooty mold, that imparts a blackened appearance to leaves, twigs, branches, and other substrates beneath an infested host plant. ; willow, Salix spp . They are also called cottony taxus scales as this scale is a fairly common pest of yew. Frequently, feeding results in the secretion of a clear sticky substance called honeydew. These lady beetles continue to feed on the nymphs that settle on the leaves. Cottony maple scale Pulvinaria innumerabilis. List of files and visuals associated with this text. The cottony maple scale is a large, flat, brown scale insect found on the twigs and branches of various trees. The "cotton" is actually a waxy secretion enveloping the ovisac, which may contain over 1,500 eggs. The developing females and nymphs produce copious amounts of honeydew which can collect on foliage and branches and cause growth of sooty mold. This fact sheet is a revision of HYG-2019. In some cases, premature loss of foliage may result from an infestation of this soft scale insect. Cottony maple scale is always present in Iowa but in most years is too low in abundance to attract attention. Soft scales feed in vascular components of plants. The cottony maple scale is most easily recognized by the characteristic egg masses on twigs and branches. Cottony maple scale is a lecanium-type scale, being very similar in appearance to European fruit lecanium for most of the year. Just before leaf drop in the fall, nymphs move back to host plant twigs and branches to overwinter. This pest has numerous parasites and predators that normally keep its populations in check. The "cotton" is actually waxy threads covering as many as 1,500 eggs. Both the adults and larvae enter ovisacs to feed on the egg masses. Q: I have what I think is a fungus on the underside of my red maple. Although a heavy infestation may cause some thinning of the canopy, it rarely results in tree death. Small, newly transplanted trees or weakened or stressed trees due to drought, compacted soils, poor fertilization, etc., are the ones most likely to exhibit major branch or crown dieback, or even death. | Columbus, Ohio 43210 | 614-292-6181 Females without egg sacs are 1/8 inch (2-3 mm) long, flat, pale to dark brown and soft. Cottony Maple Scale. Affected scales often turn brown or black and have tiny round emergence holes on their back surface. Under severe conditions an infestation may kill the entire tree. However, in some years, the scale population increases above “normal” and becomes large enough to get noticed. | Columbus, Ohio 43210. Additionally, an unsightly fungus called "sooty mold" begins to develop on the honeydew, turning the leaf surface a gray-black color which, in turn, may hinder photosynthesis. Scales tend to thrive on stressed plants. Pest description and damageMature cottony maple scale are small, flat, oval, brown insects 0.25 to 0.375 inch in diameter. After mating, the males die and the females soon withdraw their mouthparts and crawl back onto small twigs and branches. Types of Cottony Maple Scale There are many types of scale insects and several of those produce a white cotton-like mass. See All Pest, Disease and Weed Identification, See All Beer, Hard Cider, and Distilled Spirits, See All Community Planning and Engagement. The crawler's waste is called honeydew. When the sap begins to flow in the spring, the females continue to feed and grow, producing considerable amounts of honeydew. Trunk and soil injections can be done in the fall or spring. Cottony maple scales and egg masses. Damage to the host tree is caused when heavy populations of cottony maple scale withdraw sap from the plant, resulting in branch and twig dieback. Every 5 to 10 years we experience an "outbreak" of cottony maple scale somewhere in the state. Mature females are pale to dark brown, convex, and about 3-6 mm long (Fig. Application of soaps or oils should be made in mid-July and again in early August, if additional crawlers are found. They feed by withdrawing sap from vascular cells of the plant. CFAES COVID-19 Resources: Safe and Healthy Buckeyes | COVID-19 Hub | CFAES Calendar. The insect overwinters as a female scale. The scale is called maple cotton scale, Pulvinaria innumerabilis whereas cottony cushion scale is Icerya purchasi, which I am sure clears that up completely for you doesn’t it? Pesticides are poisonous. Honeydew often drops onto leaves or plants below. Get notified when we have news, courses, or events of interest to you. A close examination of the ovisacs reveals the eggs are held inside a sack-like matrix of sticky, silk-like material. This insect is active throughout the United States and attacks many shade trees and shrubs, but it is primarily found on soft Maples and Lindens. A favored host is silver maple, but it will attack other species of maple as well. In spring the female matures and lays eggs. The cottony maple scale is one of the largest and most conspicuous soft scale insects that attack ornamental deciduous plants. A large number of other deciduous trees are also attacked including other species of maple, such as boxelder, A. negundo ; basswood, Tilia americana ; white ash, Fraxinus americana ; dogwood, Cornus spp ; locust, Robinia spp. In the spring, a white egg sac is developed and holds many crawlers (insect). Mature cottony maple scales are small, flat, oval, brown insects without obvious legs, antennae or wings. The cottony maple leaf scale is so named because the females exude their eggs in an elongated, white, cottony structure called an ovisac which are stuck onto the underside of leaves. Male scales are tiny, winged insects. There are several predators and parasitoids that will naturally keep cottony maple scale populations in check. By this time, the scales look like two different kinds: a translucent white to pink form and a larger, flat, tan form. Do not contaminate forage, streams, or ponds. The settled nymphs are also attacked by several tiny parasitic wasps. Fig. The cottony maple scale, Pulvinaria innumerabilis (Rathvon), is a highly modified insect pest that commonly attacks silver and red maples in Ohio. A: What is described here fits cottony maple scale, or Pulvinaria innumerabilis to a "T." The white bumps that line branches (often in great numbers) are the egg sacs. Some of the leaves look like they are being eaten by the fungus. The cottony maple leaf scale is so named because the females exude their eggs in an elongated, white, cottony structure called an ovisac which are stuck onto the underside of leaves. Accessibility Accommodation. It has been reported on over a dozen species of trees, but is most common on silver and red maple. For technical support please contact the CFAES Helpdesk. 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