What are they and how do I get rid of them?

[El-d]

Hi All,
I'm struggling with a pest on my bamboo. I've tried soap spray, tried bug spray but neither seem to do anything.

Any ideas on what they are and more importantly how do I get rid of them?

Size wise , they are small but numerous and spreading. They don't seem to move , well not whilst being watched anyway . The culm is approx 2 cm across

Thanks,
El-d

BTW I'm in the Uk as I'm sure that makes a difference to bug types.

[johnw]

No idea what the pest is but perhaps someone will be able to help you out. Is that a Borinda they're on?

johnw

[El-d]

had to go back to my order from a few years back to check

its Fargesia murieliae 'Jumbo'.

El-d

[Rai Hannover]

Are there little caterpillars in their larval cases?

Rai

[El-d]

I don't believe they are caterpillars. There are way too many (on other culms) and they don't seem to hatch into anything.

I first noticed them last year and they are spreading but I never saw them become caterpillar/butterfly.

El-d

[johnw]

had to go back to my order from a few years back to check its Fargesia murieliae 'Jumbo'.El-d

Oh nice blue culms! Do they hold that colour?

john

[El-d]

thinking they may be armoured scale.

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showg ... hp?cat=552

1st 2 pictures certainly look familiar but I may be wrong.

Any ideas on there destruction would be appreciated. Would prefer the more organic approach but am willing to begin chemical warfare if that's what is required.

Cheers,

El-d

[El-d]

Hi John,
I'd say they are definitely more in the green spectrum but yes they do keep the colour. ..apart from those ugly white bugs.
El-d

[johnw]

I sent your pic to my Scottish entomologist friend living in New Zealand. He must have just arisen as I got a quick response back:

He says "Difficult to identify without seeing a close up, but they look rather like fly maggots, which would live in decaying matter. Need to isolate some in a little semi-dry organic matter and see what emerges. Sorry not to be of more help. Anthony"

Long short of it is if they are fly maggots they're harmless to the Fargesia.

john

[Tarzanus]

I doubt fly maggots would climb up, do they do that and why would they bother? I found 5 little worms just like this one on my Eucalyptus globulus plant. It was full of aphids that were eliminated when I placed the plant outside during the windy and rainy weather we've recently had. Several aphids remained and like I mentioned earlier, I noticed a couple of these worms. All of them were scattered around being hidden on lower side of the leaf. Took them off and fed them to my drosera.

[El-d]

They live on the culm / inside the sheath during the winter by the looks.

There's a web like/cotton..ish tufts that they seem to originate from. See pic.

El-d

[Rai Hannover]

thinking they may be armoured scale

I don't feel certain, that it is the scale insect Kuwanaspis pseudoleucaspis. Nevertheless i sent you a link regarding this common bamboo pest (see page 78, left column):
http://www.acta-zoologica-bulgarica.eu/ ... -77-82.pdf

Rai

[Chris S]

Can help with the bamboo ID anyway, it is Borinda macclureana, one of the KR introductions from Tibet. http://www.bamboo-identification.co.uk/ ... reana.html

The waxy stuff under the sheath certainly looks like mealy bugs are present http://www.bamboo-identification.co.uk/html/pests.html

But... the larvae in the first photo do not look like mealy bug larvae, more like Dipteran larvae, as suggested, but from some small fly like a fruit fly. Have a look around and see if there are any other insects looking more like normal mealy bugs hiding in the wax. Sometimes there is a collection of insects, some feeding on others. You may have some exotic Tibetan hitch-hikers, but looks like some more investigation is required anyway. Complete ecosystems may have come in on these new bamboos. Sometimes the best solution for an infested clump with nasty new pests is this wholly organic one:

[El-d]

Thanks for responses.

Looks like I've a blend of mealy and scale looking at the pictures.

Will read the article fully tomorrow but am loath for such an extreme organic response.
At least now I seem to have a better idea of what I'm battling. Will give me something to look for in eradication methods.

Thanks all.

El-d

[dependable]

I would treat them with a systemic, like bayer tree and shrub, if you think you may have imported a foreign pest species.