Knowledgebase

small white knobs on jasmine vine #315057

Asked April 20, 2016, 7:54 PM EDT

We found small white textured knobs on our outdoor jasmine vine. Are they egg masses from an insect? Should we remove them, spray the vine, or just not worry?

Lane County Oregon

Expert Response

This appears to be scale, an insect that feeds on the plant juices. It can cause stunting and yellowing of leaves. The cottony covering is a protective coat that covers the insects hiding beneath.

Cultural control
Keep your trees and shrubs well watered and fertilized. Scales will thrive on plants that are under stress. For plants that are fast growers, pruning out heavily infested shoots or limbs will help reduce the population and foster the growth of uninfested shoots. Scales can also be rubbed off plants by using your hand or a toothbrush. When adult scales are rubbed off, their mouthparts are broken and they will not be able to reinfest the plant. Soapy water is sometimes effective as is a spraying with a dormant oil spray that suffocate the pests.

Hope this helps!

Chris Rusch Replied April 21, 2016, 5:46 PM EDT
Scale has taken very different forms on other plants in the past: much smaller, softer, flatter, and less vividly white.  Is this larger, rather hard, and textured half globe a different form of scale?
The Question Asker Replied April 21, 2016, 6:49 PM EDT

Well, the treatment would be to remove the cotton blobs and apply a horticultural oil or neem oil. It sure appeared to be scale to me. Could it be a mealy bug? If so the same treatment would apply.

Hope this helps!

Chris Rusch Replied April 23, 2016, 1:53 AM EDT

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