What to do if cottony cushion scales crawl into the house?

What to do if cottony cushion scales crawl into the house?

Cottony cushion scales mainly live on outdoor plants, but in early spring (February-April) during nymph emergence or in autumn when temperatures drop, they may forage or seek overwintering sites in large numbers, crawling along walls and window frames into balconies or indoors. Follow these steps if this happens:

Immediate treatment

• Use a tissue or cloth to wipe or scrape off the insects; do not crush them with your fingers (they leave brown stains).
• Dampen a cloth with a small amount of alcohol (75% medical alcohol works) and wipe the areas where they are attached — the alcohol dissolves the waxy coating for cleaner removal.
• Wrap the removed insects in tissue and discard in the trash; do not leave them indoors.

Spray to prevent re-entry

• Spray dinotefuran-containing household insecticide on window tracks, sills, and door gaps.
• Also spray corners, baseboards, and air conditioner pipe entries.
• If there are crawling trails on exterior walls, spray those too.
• Once dry, the insecticide forms a film; any later insects that crawl over it will die.

Check indoor plants

• Inspect potted plants for cottony cushion scales.
• Pay special attention to leaf undersides, petioles, and branch joints.
• If indoor plants are also infested, treat them simultaneously.

Address the outdoor source

Scales crawling indoors indicate a large outdoor population. Address the source on trees in the yard:

• Inspect trees and shrubs near the house.
• If large numbers are on trunks, scrape them off with a brush.
• During the spring nymph emergence period (February-March), spray dinotefuran-containing household insecticide.
• In early spring, wrap a sticky insect barrier tape around the trunk 30-50 cm above ground to form a ring barrier, preventing nymphs from crawling up from the ground to feed on the canopy.