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How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

| More pests | More crops | About guidelines |

Italian pear scale infestation.

Apple

Italian Pear Scale

Scientific name: Epidiaspis leperii

(Reviewed 8/06, updated 8/06)

In this Guideline:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PEST

Italian pear scale overwinters mostly as a mature scale. The cover is circular, about 0.06 inch in diameter, and light gray, but with a brown peak slightly off-center. Underneath the covering, the female's body is reddish purple.

DAMAGE

This scale does not attack fruit, but feeds directly on the wood of the tree, affecting tree vigor and causing reduced fruit size. Apple trees can tolerate fairly high populations of this scale without any apparent damage.

MANAGEMENT

Although widely distributed, Italian pear scale is rarely a pest in commercial apple orchards.

Organically Acceptable Methods
Lime treatments are organically acceptable.

Treatment Decisions
Generally, dormant sprays applied for other scales keep Italian pear scale under control unless limbs are heavily covered with moss and lichens. Because Italian pear scale live only under moss and lichens, a dormant treatment of hydrated lime to kill the lichens and moss will effectively control this pest.

Common name Amount to Use P.H.I.+
(trade name) (conc.) (dilute) (days)
When choosing a pesticide, consider information relating to the impact on natural enemies and honey bees and environmental impact.
 
DORMANT
A. HYDRATED LIME# — 10 lb  
  COMMENTS: Dilute application only; to control moss and lichens.
 
 
**  For dilute application, rate is per 100 gal water to be applied in 300-500 gal water/acre, according to label; for concentrate applications, use 80-100 gal water/acre or lower if the label allows.
# Acceptable for use on organically grown produce.
—  Not recommended or not on label.
1 Modes of action are important in preventing the development of resistance to pesticides. Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action is assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.

[Precautions]

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Apple
UC ANR Publication 3432
Insects and Mites
J. L. Caprile, UC Cooperative Extension, Contra Costa County
L. R. Wunderlich, UC Cooperative Extension, El Dorado County
P. M. Vossen, UC Cooperative Extension, Sonoma and Marin counties
W. W. Coates, UC Cooperative Extension, San Benito County
H. L. Andris, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County
L. G. Varela, UC IPM Program, Sonoma County
W. J. Bentley, UC IPM Program, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier
Acknowledgment for contributions to the insects and mites section:
C. Pickel, UC IPM Program, Sutter and Yuba counties

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
All contents copyright © 2006 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See How to manage pests, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance. /PMG/r4302011.html revised: August 17, 2006. Contact webmaster.