Scale Insects have Destroyed my Green Pepper Plant: As you saw on the aphid video, insects can be very prolific. Another pest that multipli...
Scale Insects have Destroyed my Green Pepper Plant:
As you saw on the aphid video, insects can be very prolific. Another pest that multiplies very quickly are scale insects. Many scales belong to the same class of insects, Homoptera. The word "ptera" is wing as is the winged lizard "pterodactyl." In this case Homoptera means same wing. The front set of wings in this group looks like the back pair. Both the immature and adults have sucking mouthparts. Common members of the group includes cicadas, plant hoppers, aphids, and scales.
Scale insects almost destroyed the early citrus industry in California. The trees were turned complete white with insects. Entomologist knew that Australian citrus did not have the same problem and found two natural enemies, a species of ladybird beetle, and a parasitic fly. Within a growing season, the scales were gone, well at least under control. This was the birth of biological control of pests in California.
I have a short video of the scales, and a live version. No biological control going on here. But if I wanted to help, I can buy lacewings or ladybird beetles.
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