infestation... possible mealybugs? help please

hi guys and gals. well my rooms only a week or so from harvest, was having a poke around under the screen tonight and theres an insect infestation. they've really gone to town on 2 of the girls the other 2 only had a couple so pulled them off.

ive done some googling im 90% sure theyre mealybugs would apreaciate if someone can confirm, its probably too late for a remedy for my 4 scrog plants but I just put 6 more in the flower room a week ago and im worried that they could've spread or laid eggs on them to ruin me in a few weeks.



I gave the worst one the chop, the other bad one will get harvested tomorrow and the remaining 2 over the weekend. while trimming ive only found them to be on the main stalks and yellowing leaves and the occasional healthy leaf.

any help is much appreciated, thanks in advance
Cheers DD

Your picture does NOT show mealy bugs.


It shows SCALE INSECTS.



J

Scale

Thanks for the help guys, what is the best way to control these? I want to be prepared if they hit my new batch, the 2 badly infested plants are gone and ive picked everything I could see off the other 2. ive got my fingers crossed the next batch will be unaffected.

and thanks again much appreciated

DD

Control


Non-chemical control
Biological controls can be attempted during the summer in greenhouses with a parasitic wasps, Metaphycus helvolus, Encyrtus spp. and Encarsia citrina. These attack two species of scale insect, soft scale (Coccus hesperidum) and hemisperical scale (Saisettia coffeae).

The parasitic wasp is available from some mail order suppliers of biological controls.

Chemical control
The shell or scale protects the older insects from insecticides, so spraying is more effective against the newly hatched nymphs. With scales on outdoor plants there is usually one generation a year and in most species the eggs hatch in late June to July.

Scales in greenhouses or on houseplants breed throughout the year so all stages in the life cycle may be present at the same time. Scale insects can remain attached to the plant long after they are dead but new growth should be free of scales once they have been brought under control.

• Deciduous fruit trees and roses can be treated with plant oil winter tree wash (e.g. Growing Success Winter Wash or Vitax Winter Tree Wash) on a mild dry day during December to control overwintering scale nymphs
• Deltamethrin (e.g. Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer) and lambda-cyhalothrin (e.g. Westland Resolva Bug Killer) are contact sprays that can be used on ornamental plants and a wide range of edible plants listed on the product packaging
• Ornamental plants in leaf can be sprayed with the systemic insecticides thiacloprid (e.g. Provado Ultimate Bug Killer), which is available as a spray concentrate and a ready to use spray or acetamiprid (e.g. Bug Clear Ultra). Some formulations of these sprays can be used on some fruits, including apple, plum, gooseberry, currants, raspberry and other cane fruits, check the manufacturer’s instructions
• Sprays based on natural substances include fatty acids (e.g. Bayer Organic Pest Control or Doff Greenfly and Blackfly Killer ) or plant oils and extracts (e.g. Growing Success Fruit & Veg Bug Killer, Bug Clear for Fruit & Veg and Vitax Organic 2 in 1 Pest & Disease Control). These pesticides have very little persistence and so may need several applications during the scale's egg-hatching period, but they can be used on fruit trees and bushes

Direct from RHS UK.



J