Question From: Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States
Q: I have a very heavy scale population on my liriope , I have used malathion several times on the scale. How am I to know if it is dead and will not spread to my other lirope ? should I cut the diseased plants out and let the new shoots take over. I am at a loss.
A: To check to see if the insects are dead, take your finger nail and flick off the scale. If it is alive there will be an egg underneath. If you crush it on the leaves there will be an oze. Yuck - wear gloves for this one. Yellow sticky cards placed among the plants will help to monitor the bugs. The eggs hatch in spring when the weather warms and crawlers will stick to the cards. They look like tiny fried eggs. If the scales are alive mow down the plants and remove all plant material. I would use a leaf vacuum to pick of any bits left behind. As the new shoots emerge monitor them closely. I would contact the University of Florida IFAS Extension to find out the best timing to treat these pests. To find the local office in your county go to http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/map/index.shtml Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
