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Mai Bonsai Blog

​

Scale insect spotted on a Prunus mume.

8/6/2018

3 Comments

 
Picture
Whilst pruning this quite vigorous Japanese flowering Apricot today, I came across this one solitary scale insect. I was quite concerned as these are one of the few tree species that will not tolerate systemics (others include some elms e.g. Hokkaido and Chojubai (Dwarf flowering Quince)). 
Picture
Scale insects present as hard shells of approx. 2 to 4mm in length, with a cotton wool-like fluff underneath. They suck the juices from a tree and unchecked can do a lot of damage to a small tree in numbers. 
I searched the rest of the tree and found only two more. They can be tricky to spot and do a great job blending into this bark.
Picture
When spotted, they are easily removed with tweezers, scissors, or the tip of some wire. Once the shell is removed, the vinegar on the cotton buds works great at removing the powdery / fluffy remains. 
Picture
Picture
Pruned, cleaned, a little wire and back on the bench.
Picture
This tree is very much still a work in progress.
2 years ago I reduced it in height by almost a half, and am working on building branch density and ramification.  P. mume are often seen with long straggly branches due their unwillingness to back bud. It is essential therefore to keep shoots in check and pruned before they get too long. 
The tree is planted in a hand-signed Gyouzan & I have very high hopes for it!
3 Comments
Carl link
25/8/2021 09:33:39 am

This is a very informative—edifying article to all. Thanks a lot! Continue to post!

Reply
Allison M. Clark link
12/10/2021 09:11:16 pm

This is good. Pest control is essential nowadays. Thank you for sharing this post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
Zoe link
7/8/2022 12:28:54 pm

Thanks for sharing this useful information! Hope that you will continue with the kind of stuff you are doing.

Reply



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  • Home
  • Mai Trees
    • Maples: Acer sp. >
      • Palmatum - Japanese Mountain Maple
      • A buergerianum - Trident Maple
      • A campestre - Field Maple
      • Arakawa - Cork Bark Maple
      • Beni Shichehenge
      • Deshojo - Red Maple
      • Kashima
      • Katsura
      • Kiyohime - A dwarf variety
      • Mikawa Yatsubusa - 'Shingles on a roof'
      • Seigen
      • Shishigashira - Lion's head Maple
    • Other deciduous bonsai >
      • Beech
      • Elm >
        • Cork bark elm
        • Chinese Elm
        • Hokkaido Elm
        • Jacqualine Hillier Elm
        • Rare variegated English Elm
        • Siberian Elm
        • Zelkova serrata - Japanese saw-leaf elm
      • Hawthorne
      • Larch >
        • Larix Decidua
        • Larix Leptolepsis
      • Silver Birch
      • Weeping willow
    • Evergreens >
      • Cedar - Cedrus family
      • Fig
      • Cypress
      • Hemlock
      • Junipers >
        • J chinensis - Chinese Juniper
        • J communis - Common Juniper >
          • J communis - Cont.
        • J Itoigawa - Itogawa Juniper
        • J rigida - Needle Juniper
        • J. Sabina - Sabina Juniper
      • Olive
      • Pines >
        • P. Densiflora - Japanese Red Pine
        • P Mugo - Mountain Pine >
          • P uncinata / P mugo var. rostrata.
        • P pentaphylia - Japanese White Pine
        • P sylvestris - Scots Pines
        • P strobus - White Pine
        • P Thunbergii - Japanese Black Pine
      • Privet
      • Spruce
      • Yew
    • Flowering bonsai >
      • Apple
      • Azalea
      • Blackthorne
      • Cherry - Fuji no mai
      • Holly
      • Japanese Flowering Apricot
      • Lavender
      • Mulberry
      • Potentilla
      • Pyracantha
      • Dwarf Quince
      • Wisteria
    • By Size >
      • Mame trees
      • Shohin Trees
      • Chuhin Trees
      • Root-over-rock style trees
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact