CMBS might be found anywhere on crapemyrtles, and often appears near pruning sites and branch crotches of more mature wood. Crape Myrtle Bark Scale A New Invasive Species in North Carolina Goals Statement Crape Myrtle trees in North Carolina have a new pest, the Crape Myrtle Bark Scale (CMBS). Crape myrtles have been known in the past as a great landscape tree that needs little maintenance, has few pests, and is impossible to kill. It has only been found on crape myrtles and American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) in the US, but has been found on other species outside the US. Controlling them requires a two-step approach each year. Crape myrtle bark scale is a felt scale. Crape myrtle bark scale is an introduced insect pest from Asia, and it has a great affinity for crape myrtle trees. THERE’S A NEW “BUG” AROUND. However, a new nonnative species of scale, crape myrtle bark scale (CMBS), has moved into Catawba County. Is It In Your Garden? Crape myrtle bark scale is a relatively recent pest that is affecting crepe myrtle trees in a growing area across the southeastern United States. By the mid-2010s, CMBS had spread across southern states and was present in Key Features Insect: Adult females produce a white, felt-like sac around their bodies. When crushed, these scales exude pink “blood”-like liquid. The problem usually goes unnoticed until plants begin turning black with a fungus called sooty mold when it begins to grow on insect droppings. Often times, the first sign of CMBS is the black sooty mold on the tree bark. It was first discovered in the United States in 2004 in Texas, and by August 2016 when it was detected in North Carolina, it … Crape myrtle bark scale, Eriococcus lagerstroemiae, belongs to a special group of scale insects known as felt scales. The female scales produce fluffy white filaments that cover their body. Adult females produce a white, felt-like sac around their bodies and lay approximately 100 to 300 pink eggs inside this sac. CMBS, first identified in Texas in 2004, has now spread to at least 12 additional states including Alabama. The Crapemyrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus Lagerstroemia) is a recently introduced pest from Asia that initially infested Crapemyrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) in Texas during 2004. It is currently the only bark scale known to feed on crape myrtle in the US. Adult females are felt-like white or gray encrustations that stick to crape myrtle parts ranging from small twigs to large trunks. Crapemyrtle bark scales build shells over themselves so normal insecticides won’t kill them. Crape myrtle bark scale is relatively easy to identify. Black sooty mold on the barks of crape … This new “bug”, Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (CMBS), is an insect from Asia that attacks crapemyrtles. “The white dots are likely insects called crapemyrtle bark scales. The female’s body shrinks as eggs are pro-duced. According to Texas AgriLife Extension, this harmful pest is newly introduced from the Far East. Crapemyrtle Bark Scale . As it feeds, it excretes a sugary solution known as "honeydew" (similar to aphids, whiteflies, and other sucking insects). The crapemyrtle bark scale, Acanthococcus (= Eriococcus ) lagerstromiae (Kuwana), was first confirmed in the USA in 2004 in the landscape near Dallas (TX), although it was likely introduced earlier. Crape myrtle bark scale has made its way to North Carolina and we have a concentration in the Charlotte region putting all crape myrtles at risk. They suck sap from the tree and then drip sticky honeydew on leaves and branches on which sooty mold grows. Eggs hatch into tiny pink crawlers, and the older Crape Myrtle Bark Scale. Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (let’s call it CMBS) is a small insect that appears as a white or gray felt-like encrustation. It is one of the only scales known to infest crape myrtles. 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