Prickly Pear Pests

Posted October 16, 2017 10:16 am & filed under Questions.

Hi-

I got this guy from you a couple months ago. I’m worried it has developed a fungus. What do you think those dots are?

Thanks!
Stephanie

Stephanie,

That is Scale, a small hard-shelled insect that sucks the juices out of cactus. We recommend spraying with natural pyrethrins. We sell Don’t Bug Me which will kill them on contact. They have a hard outer shell so you can clean them off with a spray of rubbing alcohol which will break down the shell, and then use a soft brush to wipe them off. Be careful not to scrape the cactus.

Peter