INDIAN WAX SCALE
CAUTION: This information was developed for North Carolina and may not apply to other areas.
Indian
wax scale insects are tiny, brownish-purple females with microscopic legs and
a thick covering of sticky, white wax. There are no males.
The eggs are ovoid, pale purple, and resemble pollen when shaken onto a white surface. Eggs are found under adult scales.
From the eggs hatch crawlers which are the mobile stage. They are flat and tiny. In a mass, newly hatched crawlers appear rusty red. After molting, crawlers insert their mouthparts into the plant and remain fixed there.
Each scale secretes wax tufts, forming a star. This is called the star stage. Larger nymphs secrete wax tufts that merge to resemble a cameo pin. This is the cameo stage.
The Indian wax scale is found from Florida to Maryland. Indian wax scales
have been reported on hemlock, azalea, blueberry, camellia, Chinese elm, citrus,
fig, eugenia, gumbo-limbo, Chinese holly, yaupon, jasmine, mulberry, pear,
persimmon, plum, quince, sabodilla, turkscap, and other plants.
A
severe infestation of Indian wax scale detracts from the host plant's appearance
because of the many white scales and the copious honeydew that they secrete.
A black fungus called sooty mold grows in the slightly sugary honeydew,
further disfiguring the host plant.
Indian wax scales begin to lay eggs in March, each scale laying from 1,200 to 2,000 eggs. By late May, tiny crawlers hatch and move about, searching for a place to feed. Feeding occurs mostly along the twigs. Occasionally wax scales settle along the leaf midribs. Once the crawlers insert their sucking, mouthparts into the host plant, they do not change locations again. The crawlers then secrete the waxy covering from which the name is derived. The young Indian wax scales mature throughout the summer, producing a thicker waxy covering and becoming increasingly tolerant to pesticides. They overwinter as adults.
Because there is only one generation per year, applying carbaryl (Sevin) or a pyrethroid to the crawler stage in early June will give virtually complete control. Several formulations of carbaryl are available.
The following pesticides are labeled for scale insects and should give
more than adequate control of Indian Wax Scales if diluted properly and
applied thoroughly during the month of June.
| Pesticide | (Trade Name) | Formulation |
|---|---|---|
| *carbaryl | (Sevin) | 40 Flowable |
| *carbaryl | (Sevin) | 50 Wettable Powder |
| *horticultural oil | various | see label directions |
| cyfluthrin | (Decathlon) | 20 Wettable Powder |
*Suitable for home use.
See a Moonpie® decorated like an Indian wax scale.
Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
ENT/ort-13 April 1994 (Revised) March 1997
Web page last reviewed January, 2007 by the webperson.
