Scale can be tough to identify

[jpyerry]

Here is a passing observation I've had. Of all the bugs out there I think the most difficult to identify is scale. So far, I have had scale on three plants. The first time, I went months without identifying it, I initially thought it was some sort of leaf abnormality until I looked at it under a microscope. The next time I saw it, I knew right away what it was but still looked under the microscope to confirm it. But, my most recent brush with these horrible insects, it took me a couple of weeks to identify, they appeared as powdery tufts appearing on the pseudobulbs in areas that got the least amount of light. I misdiagnosed this as some sort of fungal development and I started spraying daily with Physan 20, I noticed some of it receding, but not all. Finally I decided to look under the microscope, and there they were, scale insects. Not only do they wreak havoc with plants, but they don't all look the same. I hate them!

[Reg22]

I agree. I have never been able to see one...only the problems they leave behind.

[Carkin]

I TOTALLY agree with you! I have been battling with scale on one of my Cattleya's, I think that it came with it from the store and I didn't recognize what it was at first. After I realized that it was scale I have been checking everyday and wiping anything suspicious off with alcohol on a q-tip. Now I am paranoid that it could have spread to my other orchids so I have been checking them religiously!

[jpyerry]

Originally Posted by Reg22

I agree. I have never been able to see one...only the problems they leave behind.

This is now the third time I've encountered them, and I am lucky enough to have a dissecting microscope that has 40x magnification. So, I have seen them directly several times, and they are gross. The immobile scale portion are females, and you can see through them, there is always some activity going on under the scale's outer covering, they are quite alien looking. The immature scale insects crawl around and are really small.

Someday, I want to upgrade to a trinocular dissecting microscope (preferably on either a boom or even better an articulating mount) so I can actually take photographs or even short movies of them. So far, I have seen under the microscope, scale insects, root mealy bugs, regular mealy bugs, spider mites, Phalaenopsis mites, and springtails, and aphids with a magnifying glass. I would probably find them more interesting if they weren't trying to kill my beloved plants (the only plants that have actually succombed death by insect are my first Cephalotus follicularis to scale and an English Ivy to spider mites). Well, the springtails are pretty harmless but I still don't want them on my plants.

I have to say that having a microscope has proven itself time and again as an invaluable diagnostic tool, I think more people should have one, it takes the guesswork out of figuring out a problem if one takes the effort to examine them under it.

[jpyerry]

Originally Posted by Carkin

I TOTALLY agree with you! I have been battling with scale on one of my Cattleya's, I think that it came with it from the store and I didn't recognize what it was at first. After I realized that it was scale I have been checking everyday and wiping anything suspicious off with alcohol on a q-tip. Now I am paranoid that it could have spread to my other orchids so I have been checking them religiously!

I can completely understand where you are coming from, so far my worst bought with insects was Phalaenopsis mites, they really wreaked havoc on my plants and it was only after months of vigilance was I able to bring them under control.

It really speaks to the utility of having a plant quarantine area, experience tells me I should do this, but I don't and sometimes have to pay the price. One day I will get a quarantine tent set up.