May 14, 2006 Scales on our plum tree. Scales are little bugs that feed on the tree's sap. In fact, if you stand under the tree right now on a sunny day, you will wonder where the "rain" is coming from. It's sap dripping from the scales. Ew! May 17, 2006 Ants are natural predators of scales. And they are fierce. They go to war over scales. They prevent other predators like wasps and lady bugs from getting anywhere near, or at least they try. This ant didn't even like me taking his picture! How do I know this? I just do. (Click the picture to see the ant UP REALLY CLOSE.) May 26, 2006 Ladybugs are natural predators of scales, too. You GO, girl! On top of that, though, my neighbor, Elaine, is a natural predator of scales. Unlike me, she wasn't squeamish about swiping the scales away with her gloveless hands. After several swoops, she took out a large portion of the scale population. Three days later, she said her hands were still stained purple. EW! June 6, 2006 Scales are pretty much gone. June 6, 2006 In going back through my pictures from pruning day, May 28, I noticed this picture. Click to see it full size and you might see, at the top of the branch by the leaf, ANOTHER bug on this tree, some kind of slug worm thing with yellow stripes or spots.

What now? Treatment for scales is usually best accomplished in the dormant season. Of course, we just came out of the dormant season, so, what now? I could treat the tree with an oil spray. See links to my blog posts at left for more information. May 24, 2006 The dripping sap is getting on everything! (Click the picture for a closer view of the sap.) These scale things are ANNOYING and UGLY! May 28, 2006 After Elaine's swiping came the pruning to let in more sunlight and air. Scales hate that. DIE SCALES! P.S. Did I mention that scales stink? (Probably it's the rotting, dripping sap that stinks, but it wouldn't be there without the scales, so...) Blech. May 28, 2006 The underside of a scale. Yucky. (Click the picture to see her bigger, if you've got the stomach for it. Me? I'm about to lose it just typing this.) Sorry Gregory -- picked you out a bum tree, dude. June 6, 2006 I don't know what those yellow spikey things are, but they might be related to that bug with the bright yellow spots. Eggs? Or they might be galls. In any case, I think I'm going to throw up now. UPDATE: June 8, 2006 Those yellow things are ladybug eggs! And the "ugly worm" is a ladybug larvae! Ok, Gregory, maybe this tree isn't so bad after all.

April 11, 2006 This tree sends out an abundance of undesirable shoots, called suckers. Gregory removes the ones he can reach. He also walks around the block and removes suckers from other people's trees. He's definately my child!	April 17, 2006 The web is evidence of aphids in the tree. In addition, bees are attracted to this tree, as are wasps; ants are attracted by the aphids and the fallen plums. We've got pests galore in the middle of play central! Is it too much to ask that tree tags reveal these potential problems?

April 2, 2006 On Gregory's 5-and-a-half birthday.