# Name that Nuisance (BUG!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Horticulture\ **Created:** [October 24, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206 "2020-10-24T21:12:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DoverJim](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/doverjim/32/3929_2.png) [@DoverJim](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/DoverJim)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/1 "2020-10-24T21:12:08Z")
I have 3 young Texas Ebony that have been growing pretty well, but not flourishing. For the past 2 years they’ve been slowing down despite all my efforts. Now i’m suspecting some sort of infestation. There have always been a few of these little black dots on each plant since i got them. I didn’t think much of them because they weren’t numerous, didn’t increase, the trees did okay, and i could never google anything that looked like them. Now i see that there are substantially more and they tend to line the branches like a scale. What am i dealing with and how do i get on top of them before i bring the trees indoor for winter (central Pa, USA)??? Thanks! j- ![Branch1](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/f/f478329a049b38b464d8876374448fc1eba156e3.jpeg) ![Branch2](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/2/204a23bf0a90e752de30bdcf0858481d12872e2f.jpeg) ![Close up](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/8/8416921db2188c39500b49bdff268f208e060227.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![cab\_lad\_70](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/cab_lad_70/32/9253_2.png) [@cab\_lad\_70](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/cab_lad_70)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/2 "2020-10-25T00:05:36Z")
You say ‘like a scale’. Have you eliminated scale as a possibility? ---
**Author:** ![Keith-in-UK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f04885/32.png) [@Keith-in-UK](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Keith-in-UK)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2020, 12:17pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/3 "2020-10-25T12:17:04Z")
Have you tried to remove them with your fingers at all? What’s left underneath could be an indication of what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/4 "2020-10-25T15:07:49Z")
Looks like scale to me ---
**Author:** ![DoverJim](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/doverjim/32/3929_2.png) [@DoverJim](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/DoverJim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/5 "2020-10-26T15:30:53Z")
It certainly could be scale…but it doesn’t resemble the scale i’ve encountered before. These are tiny (1mm max) and black. The scale i usually deal with are \>1mm and brownish and usually come off pretty easily with a swab dipped in alcohol. These little guys will come off with a finger or scraper, but not as ‘easily’. Once removed, there’s no trace they were there or it’s too small to see. Any concerns with a systemic for Texas Ebony? I’ve got a couple flavors of imidacloprid and a granular disulfoton. Thanks! j- ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/6 "2020-10-26T15:34:12Z")
I only say scale because those look like the dead scale I had on a tree after treating it with Sevin. I _think_ I’ve used a systemic with my TE. I just don’t recall, but I wouldn’t hesitate. I haven’t seen any adverse affects from using the stuff so far. 🤞🏽 I’ll actually be using some on my TE very soon (hopefully today) as I get my tropicals ready to come indoors. If you wanna wait a week I can report back. ---
**Author:** ![Nate\_Andersen](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/nate_andersen/32/3943_2.png) [@Nate\_Andersen](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Nate_Andersen)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/7 "2020-10-26T20:40:54Z")
There are tons of types of scale, but I’m not 100% sure what this is. If you want to browse images of scale to compare it to, you can head here: [https://www.forestryimages.org/browse/Archivethumb.cfm?Arc=4](https://www.forestryimages.org/browse/Archivethumb.cfm?Arc=4) ---
**Author:** ![DoverJim](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/doverjim/32/3929_2.png) [@DoverJim](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/DoverJim)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/name-that-nuisance-bug/7206/8 "2020-10-29T22:58:35Z")
Gee thanks Nate…thats an incredibly useful, yet thoroughly depressing web site. 😉 Who knew…hundreds of _different_ scale just waiting to attack. I’ll go with the collective impression of the thread. If it quacks like a scale and doesn’t move, like scale, it’s probably scale (most similar to black scale per that disheartening forestry site). Thanks all! j-