Cottony Maple Scale

Cottony maple scale in Fenton can be a problem not just for the trees they infest but also for cars, patio furniture, or anything else that is under the tree the scale insect is feeding on.

Cottony maple scale causes damage by feeding on the sap of a tree. A particularly troublesome side effect that Fenton homeowners experience is caused by the honeydew that the scale insect exudes from its body as it feeds on a tree. The honeydew drops onto anything under the tree and a black sooty mold grows on the honeydew. This means cars, patio furniture, toys, sidewalks, or anything else under an infested tree will be covered with black sooty mold.

Cottony maple scale eggs usually hatch sometime in late June to early July. If you discover your tree is infested, a foliar treatment can be applied if it is able to be done early in their lifecycle. If this discovery is made after the scale insects are making their protective coating, then a soil injection can be applied. Soil injections for cottony maple scale are also the best option for larger trees or for trees that are in areas where spray drift is a concern.

The population of cottony maple scale in the Fenton area rises and falls in regular cycles. We often experience one or two peak years with high populations followed by a population crash caused by natural parasites. Then we will have two or three years of low populations where cottony maple scales are difficult to find.