Sussex Tree

Pine and spruce can be affected by two common scales. Pine needle scale is an elongate, white insect that attaches itself to the needles of the spruce and several pines, notably mugho. This insect, occurring in great numbers the past few seasons, has resulted in premature needle drop on pine and spruce.

A more recently introduced pest in the state is the pine tortoise scale, a “soft” globular-shaped scale that occurs on the twigs of Scots pine and a few other pine species. Pine tortoise scale also produces large amounts of sticky honeydew, which attracts nuisance visits by yellow jackets and honeybees.