Weird Pest - Need Help!

[HappyTina]

I'm at a loss as to what kind of pest this is.
Located in Bakersfield, CA.
This is on a bower vine.
Any help appreciated!

[rainbowgardener]

They just sit there and don't move? They are called scale insects. There are a lot of different species / varieties of them, in somewhat different sizes and colors. Some of them are more hard shelled than others. They are all plant juice suckers and eventually will cause yellowing and wilting as they suck the life out of your plant, especially when present in large numbers like this. They also excrete a sticky sweet goo which attracts ants, molds, etc.

Treatment is to wipe them off with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol or spray them with soapy water with a bit of rubbing alcohol mixed in. You may have to do it once a week for awhile until they are gone and don't re-appear.

Don't bother trying poisons on them. Particularly the harder shelled varieties are extremely resistant to pesticides.

[applestar]

I've never seen ones that look like those, but the way they are lined up makes me think they are some species of scale insects. Is Bakersfield in southern part of California? I don't recognize a lot of insects that are not deep freeze hardy....

ETA -- ah! Rainbowgardener posted hers with more details. Great!

[imafan26]

Those are giants. If you have ants, make sure to put out bait for the ants too. Ants will tend sucking pests like aphids, scale and mealybugs.

[HappyTina]

Is Bakersfield in southern part of California?

Bakersfield is in Central CA. The southern edge of the Central Valley.

Thanks so much for your help!!

[HappyTina]

Thank you all for your help! I am very great full for such a knowledgeable group of individuals & for the quick response time!