Tea Scale: Biology and Management in the Nursery and Landscape

UGA Extension contacts:
William Hudson and Shimat Joseph

The tea scale, Fiorinia theae (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is a serious economic pest of several ornamental plants in nurseries and landscapes in Georgia, including camellias and hollies. Tea scales are armored scales that cause chlorosis (yellowing) of the leaf tissue, and under severe infestations, they can cause plant death. These pests undergo multiple overlapping generations per year and are very challenging to control. Even after control measures are administered, the plant retains the damaged leaves for at least a season. It usually takes two to three years to bring the infestations under control after the application of effective insecticides.

Published by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. For more information or guidance, contact your local Extension office.

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