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Cottony Maple Scale on Red Maple

Identification

White, puffy, sticky masses at branch junctions are cottony maple scale egg sacs. Crawlers hatch and feed on sap, producing honeydew and sooty mold.

Control Options

Systemic: Soil drench with Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control (imidacloprid). Takes 2+ weeks to reach canopy.
Foliar spray: Orthene (acephate) if you can reach the infestation.
Natural enemies: Lady beetles (twice-stabbed) often control outbreaks.

Improve tree health with water and mulch to withstand attacks.

Trees: Multiple Tree Decline: Red Maple, Rhododendron, Magnolia, Japanese Maples; Powdery Mildew on Japanese Red Maple: Fungicide and Cultural Control; White Spots on Red Maple: Superficial Fungus/Algae, Not Harmful; Diagnosing Red Maple Decline: White Spots, Shriveling Leaves, and Fungus; Red Leaf Maple Dieback: Winter Desiccation and Canopy Restructuring; Japanese Maple Branch Dieback and Green Insects: Systemic Atomic Grow Rescue; Wax Scale on Japanese Maple: Identifying the White Domes and Timing Your Treatment; Cottony Maple Scale and Apple Tree Spray Advice; Red Maple Borer Holes: Insecticide Treatment and Monitoring; Diagnosing One-Sided Dieback in a Red Maple

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Cottony Maple Scale: Systemic Imidacloprid Best for Large Trees

Lichens on Japanese Maple: Harmless Epiphytes

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