Hello all,
I have a juniperus squatmata that I have noticed has many chalky white
deposits on the scales (mainly on secondary branches, and generaly one
deposit per scale.) Upon closer inspection (and to my shock horror) I have
also noticed many tiny red dots dispersed across the juniper and hiding
under the bark and scales. I have just eradicated a black fly colony also on
this plant (using a pyrethrum spray).

Please any help in regards to the white specs and red mites whould be
appreciated. A systemic insecticide for the mites perhaps?

Thanks - Martin.

Notes: Is Mid-Late winter here averaging 15-6 deg C (59-42 deg F), South
Eastern Australia
Juniper is in a 1.5 inch X 12 inch bonsai pot, coarse free draining bonsai
soil, well fertilised with seaweed derived liquid fertiliser (Seasol) once
every 3 weeks. Situated outdoors in full sun on a bench.

Martin wrote:
Hello all,
I have a juniperus squatmata that I have noticed has many chalky white
deposits on the scales (mainly on secondary branches, and generaly one
deposit per scale.) Upon closer inspection (and to my shock horror) I have
also noticed many tiny red dots dispersed across the juniper and hiding
under the bark and scales. I have just eradicated a black fly colony also on
this plant (using a pyrethrum spray).

Please any help in regards to the white specs and red mites whould be
appreciated. A systemic insecticide for the mites perhaps?

Thanks - Martin.

Notes: Is Mid-Late winter here averaging 15-6 deg C (59-42 deg F), South
Eastern Australia
Juniper is in a 1.5 inch X 12 inch bonsai pot, coarse free draining bonsai
soil, well fertilised with seaweed derived liquid fertiliser (Seasol) once
every 3 weeks. Situated outdoors in full sun on a bench.


Everyone should note this message. It contains the info we
need to make suggestions that MAY help. :-)

The small red dots, as you diagnosed, are likely to be
spider mites. Usually a HARD blast of water (careful of the
soil -- cover with foil!) will take care of the mites.
They're almost immune to most pesticides. An oil spray will
help, too.

The deposits MAY be nothing more than calcium carbonate
precipitating out of the water as it is transpired through
the tiny stomata on the leaves, or evaporite from simple
evaporation. It too should "vanish" when you give the tree a
hard spray, but if it is caked on the scales, it may
reappear when the tree dries. You may have to Brush the
tree vigorously (hold it in its pot!) with a whisk broom or
something to get it off.

If you can pick the white stuff off with a tweezer and
squish it, it is something else -- white fly, mealy bug,
scale, aphid?? The pyrethrin should have taken care of
these -- with the possible exception of the scale, whose
waxy outer coating causes sprays to wash off -- use an oil
spray to suffocate them.

But it sounds like a chemical deposit.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Thanks Jim for your advice.
It makes sense to me now that the white deposits are due to transpiration
because of the almost systematic distribution of the deposits (i.e. one
deposit centrally located on each scale) - way too uniform in distribution
to be of an insect or fungal nature. But what does this say about my water
quality?

Martin

ps: I've heard that aphids and black flies are born with embryonic offspring
alreading inside them when they are born hence their almost sponanteous
appearance en-mass. Is this true?

"Jim Lewis" wrote in message
...
Martin wrote:
Hello all,
I have a juniperus squatmata that I have noticed has many chalky white
deposits on the scales (mainly on secondary branches, and generaly one
deposit per scale.) Upon closer inspection (and to my shock horror) I
have
also noticed many tiny red dots dispersed across the juniper and hiding
under the bark and scales. I have just eradicated a black fly colony
also on
this plant (using a pyrethrum spray).

Please any help in regards to the white specs and red mites whould be
appreciated. A systemic insecticide for the mites perhaps?

Thanks - Martin.

Notes: Is Mid-Late winter here averaging 15-6 deg C (59-42 deg F), South
Eastern Australia
Juniper is in a 1.5 inch X 12 inch bonsai pot, coarse free draining
bonsai
soil, well fertilised with seaweed derived liquid fertiliser (Seasol)
once
every 3 weeks. Situated outdoors in full sun on a bench.


Everyone should note this message. It contains the info we
need to make suggestions that MAY help. :-)

The small red dots, as you diagnosed, are likely to be
spider mites. Usually a HARD blast of water (careful of the
soil -- cover with foil!) will take care of the mites.
They're almost immune to most pesticides. An oil spray will
help, too.

The deposits MAY be nothing more than calcium carbonate
precipitating out of the water as it is transpired through
the tiny stomata on the leaves, or evaporite from simple
evaporation. It too should "vanish" when you give the tree a
hard spray, but if it is caked on the scales, it may
reappear when the tree dries. You may have to Brush the
tree vigorously (hold it in its pot!) with a whisk broom or
something to get it off.

If you can pick the white stuff off with a tweezer and
squish it, it is something else -- white fly, mealy bug,
scale, aphid?? The pyrethrin should have taken care of
these -- with the possible exception of the scale, whose
waxy outer coating causes sprays to wash off -- use an oil
spray to suffocate them.

But it sounds like a chemical deposit.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Martin wrote:
[tree with specs]

Depending on the species, a good wash under the shower may help.

I've had good luck with various insecticidal soaps at getting
rid of mites. You need to follow a term of treatment, to get
the unhatched eggs as well as the adults. Carefully read the
directions on the package.

If you are getting repeated infestations of mites, you should
consider the possibility that something is stressing your tree.
Things to check: wrong temperature, wrong watering, too much or
too little wind, wrong soil, too much or too little or the wrong
kind of fertilizer, wrong amount of sun or shade.

For indoor plants, be sure it's not in front of air vents or
in an area that is too hot. And be sure you are watering it
the right amount.
Socks