Scale Infestation

This is an excellent photo of an insect known as scale, a sap sucking insect that attaches itself to the leaves, flowers and stems. Under the shell is either the sucking insect or she has died and the shell is full of young yet to hatch scale. Inspect other nearby plants and treat them at the first sight of insect. They can be controlled with any insecticide containing Imidachloprid which is a systemic insecticide — you will drench the soil and the insecticide will be sucked up by roots and into the branches, leaves and hopefully the scale. You can also spray the plant above the soil line with 15:1 water:Ivory soap. Also a horticultural oil will act as a suffocant. If there are not too many, try to gently remove them with your fingernail and dispose in a bucket of soapy water.