Holly issues

[coolbrze]

Any ideas as to what this is? H/O has a handful of Holly bushes that it's affecting and a neighbor has a 45' tall Holly tree w/ the same thing:

 

[coolbrze]

Thanks a bunch! What are the recommended treatments, if any?

 

[BC WetCoast]

High quality horticultural oil spray. We use Superior 70.

 

[treeseer]

First look to see how the holly is pruned--scale is worst when growth is crowded, so attacks often follow shearing. Opening it up before spraying will get better results.

got a pic of the whole bush?

 

[BC WetCoast]

Imidacloprid kills scale!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Garant-2F-generic-Merit-2F-Imidacloprid-insecticide-/330431234742

If you are allowed to use it. Most of the municipalities around here now restrict the use of "cosmetic' pesticides, which essentially means synthetic. This only allows the use of things like oils, soaps, copper, sulphur etc.

 

[coolbrze]

Another question, if the 2 neighbors both have it and we treat their Hollies, will the Hollies get it again if another neighboring Holly has it? Will this come back year after year?

 

[BC WetCoast]

The scale is an insect that lives inside the little "shell or scale". So yes, the chances are pretty good that the tree will be attacked every year. It is virtually impossible to eliminate an insect that is endemic in the environment from attacking your trees in the future.