Many crape myrtle trees across the D.C. region are infested by a bug called bark scale, which leaves behind a black fungal infection. A cure is elusive.

Discovered in Dallas in 2004, the crape myrtle bark scale is a tiny bug that sucks the sap from plants. It releases a sweet liquid called “honeydew,” similar to what aphids and whiteflies produce.

It is called the Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale (CMBS). The new pest is originally from China, Japan, and Korea. It was first identified in the United States in Richardson, Texas in 2004.

Garden tip of the week with Jennifer Ferguson. Today, we will discuss the crape myrtle bark scale. This small elongated insect is white and gray, feeds on the crape myrtle tree, and produces a swee… ...

Crape myrtle bark scale (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) was initially found in Texas in 2004 and has been found in at least 11 other states since. It was first found in Delaware during the spring of 2020.

Crape myrtle bark scale probably came into America on a bootlegged plant. It’s native to China. Still not knowing what it was, horticulturists from Texas saw it and recognized the unknown pest ...

Dear Neil: Regarding crape myrtle bark scale — Southeastern Virginia has been battling this pest for years. The scale itself will not kill the plants. However, the sooty mold is ...

White spots on your crepe myrtle tree may just look like light mold or lichen, but it may be a sign of a bigger issue that sinister and damaging.

Both the crape myrtle tree (Lagerstroemia) and the bark scale are native to Asia.The tree was introduced to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1790 by French botanist André Michaux. The insect was first ...

Rarely causing mortality in healthy trees, crapemyrtle bark scale can reduce growth and flowering of crape myrtles. Stressed, small, or containerized trees may be more vulnerable.

DEAR NEIL: About three weeks ago our crape myrtles started dropping leaves. We’ve lived here 20 years and we’ve never seen them do this before. They were watered weekly.

The crape myrtle bark scale has crept into the D.C. region in recent years. The damage caused by this tiny bug, a relatively new pest from Asia, was first noticed by entomologists from Texas A&M ...