Integrated Pest Management
European Fruit Lecanium Scale
Parthenolecanium corni
European fruit lecanium scales (Lacy L. Hyche, Auburn University, Bugwood.org)
European fruit lecanium scale damage (Lacy L. Hyche, Auburn University, Bugwood.org)
European fruit lecanium scale crawlers (Ronald S. Kelley, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Bugwood.org)
Pest Description
- adults: highly variable; females are ~ 1/8 inch; globular; yellowish to dark brown; mottled; males winged, fly-like
- immatures: crawlers (mobile stage) are tiny (3/64 inch), yellow orange and wingless
- immatures: nymphs are smaller, flattened and oval to globose; brownish yellow to dark brown
Host Plants, Diet & Damage
- many ornamental and fruit trees
- feed on plant sap from twigs, small branches and leaves
- can cause tree stress and decline
- honeydew production leads to sooty mold on leaves and branches
Biology, Life Cycle & Damaging Life Stage
- overwinter as 2nd instar nymphs in bark cracks on twigs or branches
- around April, females reach maturity and mate
- can reproduce without mating
- eggs are laid under the female scale covering
- egg hatch and crawlers migrate to leaves from mid-June through late-July
- in fall, 2nd instar scales migrate back to twigs
- one generation per year
- nymphs and adults are the damaging stages
IPM Recommendations
- Manage trees to improve or maintain health.
- Monitor scale populations on host plants.
- Apply an insecticide (carbamate; horticultural oil; insecticidal soap; organophosphate; pyrethroid) to coincide with scale crawler activity.
- Apply a systemic neonicitinoid in spring after leaves have expanded.
For more information, see our Soft Scales in Utah Landscapes fact sheet.