Question From: C. Hastings - Westfield, Massachusetts, United States
Q: I found rows and rows of white rice-like spots on the underside of my holly bush leaves. Most of the affected leaves were toward the house and lower on the bush, away from sunlight. I cut back the bush severely and removed the leaves to the town dump. I can't find a photo on-line that looks like my problem. Mealybugs, aphid eggs, cottony scale? The white stuff washes off easily with the spray of a water hose. No other plants in the same garden are affected.
(Click Images To View Larger Versions)
A: I'm pretty sure it's cottony scale. the oblong things are egg sacs. I would spray with a product called AzaMax by General Hydroponics. It's made with Azadirachtin from the neem tree. It's OMRI listed and safe to use. It's an antifeedant not a poison. You may need to reapply it several times. Be sure to spray the undersides of the leaves. I Googled for a photo of cottony scale and found one that looked like your critters. Goo Luck and Happy Yardening, Nancy
