Scale, or something goin going here.

gary rabbitt · Post by **gary rabbitt** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:04 am

Hello all,
I am a new member, I have been looking ath the forum for a while.
Maybe you can help. I have a few cacti, I am not sure the variety, but the basic, flat leaf types. Blooms with an orange flower.Sorry.
As this one is an indoor cactus, I notice that it gets a growth of these barnicle looking things on the leaves. If left alone, it will destroy the leaf, scarring it and it will shrivel and die out.

The treatment I have been doing is to take it outside, soap it down with some mild soap and a small brush, and hose off.
Note, that some cactus I have inside are not affected by this ailment.

After a month or so, it will return.
Now, I have noticed that some of the outside cacti have developed this stuff. Those are a different species, flat round amd produces cactus apples. So now, I would like to know is how better can I deal with this stuff, what it is, and keep it maintained?

The outdoor variety survives the cold winters, drooping down, then perking up in the spring, yellow flowers.
Here are some photos of whayt I am talking about, and any help is appreciated.
Thanks, Gary.

tumamoc · Post by **tumamoc** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:15 am

That's definitely scale. You can do a search for "scale" here which will show you some recommended treatments. I think the most common are blasting the scales off with water or spraying the cactus with an insecticidal soap. You may need to administer one or more treatments of a systemic insecticide so that the tissues the scale feeds on will kill them. Here's a link that may be useful http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTE ... MANAGEMENT

gary rabbitt · Post by **gary rabbitt** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:26 am

Thanks Turmamoc for the fast reply.

Those things look horrible

I will read the page fully, I did skim over it right now.

I would hesitate to use a systemic right now, at least for the outside variety. It produces some medium sized fruit later in the year, and I'd not like to get ill from eating something sucked in by the plant. The other ones I may treat. This has been something that has gone on for years, and the only way to fix it was the soap, and water blasting. Gently enough though to not bruise the plants.

Thanks again and I will see how it turns out.
Gary.

hegar · Post by **hegar** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:16 am

I just noticed your post. Tumamoc is right and so are you. Your armored scale is Diaspis echinocacti, a common and very nasty cactus pest. You can read more about it and see more magnified images in the "General" section under "Microscopic" on page 1. I would advise you to do the chemical treatment with a systemic insecticide, even if you do the soap and scrub method. These insects are very prolific and very hard to completely eradicate. They do reproduce rapidly and will attack a variety of cacti. If you are willing to constantly check for the presence of the insect and immediately use soap and water you will have some limited success, but the problem will persist. The systemic insecticide on the other hand should give you a whole year, or at least a growing season of control.

Harald

gary rabbitt · Post by **gary rabbitt** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:42 am

Hi Harald,
Thanks for the reply.

I will read the page you recommend. I may have to go the systemic route, otherwise I think I will be soaping the plant every couple of weeks

It is odd though that some other cacti is right next to this one, but do not get any on it. I have many indoors I brought from California 10 yrs ago, and would hate to lose them to this problem.

The outdoor variety has this now. It withstands a good freeze too, drooping and laying down in the Winter, then perking up in warmenr weather. The new plants come from those drooping parts toucing the ground.

I have a lot to learn about the plants, but have always loved them for my 50+ yrs on this Earth.
Take care my friend, and thanks to all for this great resource!
Gary.