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. 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.) The female scales produce fluffy white filaments that cover their body. Is It In Your Garden? When crushed, these scales exude pink “blood”-like liquid. This new “bug”, Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (CMBS), is an insect from Asia that attacks crapemyrtles. 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. in Texas during 2004. Crape myrtle bark scale is a felt scale. The scale is a sucking insect that feeds on the phloem (sap) of plants. Since then, it has spread rapidly through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia. As it feeds, it excretes a sugary solution known as "honeydew" (similar to aphids, whiteflies, and other sucking insects). Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (let’s call it CMBS) is a small insect that appears as a white or gray felt-like encrustation. 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). Crapemyrtle bark scales build shells over themselves so normal insecticides won’t kill them. CMBS might be found anywhere on crapemyrtles, and often appears near pruning sites and branch crotches of more mature wood. Crape Myrtle Bark Scale. However, a new nonnative species of scale, crape myrtle bark scale (CMBS), has moved into Catawba County. Crape myrtle bark scale is an introduced insect pest from Asia, and it has a great affinity for crape myrtle trees. Crape myrtle bark scale, Eriococcus lagerstroemiae, belongs to a special group of scale insects known as felt scales. Crape myrtle bark scale is a relatively recent pest that is affecting crepe myrtle trees in a growing area across the southeastern United States. Often times, the first sign of CMBS is the black sooty mold on the tree bark. The problem usually goes unnoticed until plants begin turning black with a fungus called sooty mold when it begins to grow on insect droppings. Key Features Insect: Adult females produce a white, felt-like sac around their bodies. It is one of the only scales known to infest crape myrtles. “The white dots are likely insects called crapemyrtle bark scales. Crapemyrtle Bark Scale . THERE’S A NEW “BUG” AROUND. Black sooty mold on the barks of crape … The female’s body shrinks as eggs are pro-duced. By the mid-2010s, CMBS had spread across southern states and was present in Eggs hatch into tiny pink crawlers, and the older 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. Adult females are felt-like white or gray encrustations that stick to crape myrtle parts ranging from small twigs to large trunks. Crape myrtle bark scale is relatively easy to identify. It was first discovered in the United States in 2004 in Texas, and by August 2016 when it was detected in North Carolina, it … Controlling them requires a two-step approach each year. It is currently the only bark scale known to feed on crape myrtle in the US. 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. 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