How to identify them

Scale insects are among the most disguised of pests. Adults are often immobile and covered by a protective shell or waxy coating, so they look like small brown, white, or gray bumps, specks, or cottony masses fixed to stems, twigs, and leaf undersides. Many people scrape at what they think is disease or debris before realizing it is alive. “Soft” scales produce sticky honeydew; “armored” scales do not.

Behavior and biology in South Florida

Like aphids, scale insects pierce plant tissue and feed on sap. Once the mobile young (“crawlers”) settle and begin feeding, many species become stationary, hidden under their protective covering — which also shields them from casual control efforts. They build up on ornamentals, palms, citrus, and shrubs common in South Florida landscapes.

Soft scales excrete honeydew just as aphids do, coating foliage in sticky residue that grows black sooty mold and attracts ants. Heavy infestations cause yellowing, leaf drop, twig dieback, and general decline of the plant.

Signs of an infestation

• Bumps, specks, or cottony masses stuck to stems, twigs, and leaf undersides
• Yellowing leaves, leaf drop, and twig or branch dieback
• Sticky honeydew and black sooty mold on and below the plant
• Ants trailing on affected plants, feeding on the honeydew

Why they are a problem

Scale insects weaken and can slowly kill ornamentals, palms, and shrubs through sustained sap loss, while the honeydew and sooty mold from soft scales disfigure plants and surrounding surfaces. Because their protective coverings hide them and resist casual sprays, infestations often become well established before they are recognized and are stubborn to control.

How Bugsy’s treats scale insects

Our technicians identify the scale type and target treatment to the vulnerable crawler stage and the affected plants, since the armored, settled adults resist surface treatments. As with aphids, we address the honeydew-and-ant cycle that soft scales drive, so the plant can recover and ant pressure on the property eases.

Preventing scale insects

• Inspect stems, twigs, and leaf undersides regularly for bumps and specks
• Prune out and dispose of heavily infested branches
• Avoid over-fertilizing, which can encourage scale buildup
• Manage the ants that tend soft scales for honeydew
• Address infestations early, before sooty mold and dieback set in

At a glance

Plant pestSap feederLooks like plant bumpsFeeds sooty mold & ants