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Scale are tiny sap sucking insects with protective coverings that can be found attached to plant leaves and stems.
Scale are sap sucking insects that have protective coverings. The protective coverings can be hard and waxy to soft and foam-like. The shield like protective cover or frothy covering can make it difficult to identify them as insects. Scales are commonly brown, black, grey or white. See the gallery for some examples.
Scale insects fix themselves to leaves and stems and suck sap. Their waste products are a sweet honeydew that ants and wasps will feed on readily. The sticky honeydew will also encourage moulds such as sooty mould. It may be difficult to see the scale if they are covered by the mould. Infested leaves usually turn yellow. Some scale live beneath bark and are not easily seen.
To Get Rid of Scale Insects:
Houseplants
Control Ants and the Sap Sucking Insects they 'Farm' in Trees, Shrubs and Ornamantals
There are many species of scale insect in the family Coccoidea. In New Zealand common pest species include: