How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

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Italian pear scale infestation.

Pear

Italian Pear Scale

Scientific name: Epidiaspis leperii

(Reviewed 11/12 , updated 11/12 )

In this Guideline:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PEST

Italian pear scale overwinters mostly as a mature scale. The cover is circular, about 0.06 inch (1.5 mm) in diameter, and light gray, but with a brown peak slightly off-center. Underneath the covering, the female's body is reddish purple. The scale is hidden under moss and lichens and cannot survive without this natural shelter.

DAMAGE

This scale does not feed on fruit, but feeds directly on the wood of the tree, affecting tree vigor and causing reduced fruit size.

MANAGEMENT

Although widely distributed, Italian pear scale is rarely a pest in commercial pear orchards.

Organically Acceptable Methods

Bordeaux mixtures are acceptable if all ingredients are certified by the organic grower's agent.

Treatment Decisions

Generally, dormant sprays applied for other scales keep Italian pear scale under control unless limbs are heavily covered with moss and lichens. In this case, remove the moss and lichen or add Bordeaux mixture to the dormant spray. For more information on Bordeaux mixtures and how to mix them, see UC IPM Pest Note: Bordeaux Mixture.

[Precautions]

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Pear
UC ANR Publication 3455

Insects and Mites

L. G. Varela, UC IPM Program, UC Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County
R. B. Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension, Lake County
R. A. Van Steenwyk, Insect Biology, UC Berkeley
C. Ingels, UC Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County
Acknowledgment for contributions to Insects and Mites:
C. Pickel, UC IPM Program, UC Cooperative Extension, Sutter/Yuba counties
P. W. Weddle, Weddle, Hansen & Associates
R. Hansen, Weddle, Hansen & Associates
P. Chevalier, United Ag Products, Ukiah
M. Hooper, Ag Unlimited, Lakeport
B. Knispel, Pest Control Adviser, Upper Lake
T. Lidyoff, Purity Products, Healdsburg
G. McCosker, Harvey Lyman Agservices, Walnut Grove
B. Oldham, Ag Unlimited, Ukiah
J. Sisevich, AgroTech, Kelseyville (retired)
D. Smith, Western Farm Service, Walnut Grove
B. Zoller, The Pear Doctor, Inc., Kelseyville

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