- Author: Lauren Fordyce
It may be after Labor Day, but some of your plants may still be wearing white, breaking that long-standing fashion “rule”! While many of us don't adhere to this old rule for our wardrobes these days, you may care about white stuff on your plants this time of year.
There are several white colored pest insects and diseases that you could be noticing on your plants.
Scales
Several types of scale insects are white. Each has their own host preferences, or plants they feed on.
- Cochineal scales feed only on cacti, usually prickly pears. On the outside they are white and waxy but...
If you grow roses, you might be noticing damage on the flowers caused by hoplia beetles (Hoplia callipyge). Hoplia beetles, which are common between March and May, especially in the Central Valley, feed on the blossoms of light-colored roses and other flowers in your landscape.
Hoplia beetle adults are small, reddish-brown scarab beetles that are often found resting inside a blossom. If you hold one in your hand, you'll notice that most of the body is a beautiful, iridescent silvery green color in the sunlight.
These beetles may also occasionally be found feeding on other plants with light-colored petals.
Some people believe they have the rose chafer or Japanese beetle in their landscape, however...