Insects on burning bush - Ask Extension
Can you help identify what’s wrong with my burning bush? The tips of the leaves are curling. Some, not all appear to have tiny brownish bugs. Like a...
Knowledgebase
Insects on burning bush #798020
Asked June 27, 2022, 9:32 AM EDT
Can you help identify what’s wrong with my burning bush? The tips of the leaves are curling. Some, not all appear to have tiny brownish bugs. Like aphids, but not green. Do you have any idea what this is and how we can treat it?
Grand Traverse County Michigan
Expert Response
Bugs on burning bush are rare, but plants that are stressed from
improper care may suffer infestations of spider mites and other pests. Although it offers stunning autumn colors, take care when planting it because the shrub is considered invasive in some Eastern and Midwestern states.
I cannot see your insects clearly enough to tell what they are, but the whitish, cottony look I see on one picture may indicate that you have mealybugs. Mealybugs are covered in a waxlike substance and leave behind honeydew and sooty mold after feeding on the shrub. Infestations can cause leaf drop and stunted growth.
This insect damages plants by inserting a feeding tube into plant tissue to feed on the sugary sap. Large numbers of mealybugs weaken the plant and may even kill it. A shiny, sticky sap called honeydew is commonly found on branches and leaves where the insect feeds.
Ridding your plants of mealybugs is not an easy task. They thrive in crevices between branches in the interior of the plant where it is hard to spray them. Another issue is that one female can lay up to 600 eggs, quickly expanding their population.These insects can spread to other nearby plants.
If you choose to spray with an insecticide, make sure it is labeled to control mealybugs. There are a number of pesticides that can be used to treat for mealybugs. Read labels carefully to see if there are lists of plants that can be harmed by specific products.
Spider mites are another common pest of Burning Bush. If that is your issue, you would see their webbing. Here is some information on identifying and controlling spider mites:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-2012-11
improper care may suffer infestations of spider mites and other pests. Although it offers stunning autumn colors, take care when planting it because the shrub is considered invasive in some Eastern and Midwestern states.
I cannot see your insects clearly enough to tell what they are, but the whitish, cottony look I see on one picture may indicate that you have mealybugs. Mealybugs are covered in a waxlike substance and leave behind honeydew and sooty mold after feeding on the shrub. Infestations can cause leaf drop and stunted growth.
This insect damages plants by inserting a feeding tube into plant tissue to feed on the sugary sap. Large numbers of mealybugs weaken the plant and may even kill it. A shiny, sticky sap called honeydew is commonly found on branches and leaves where the insect feeds.
Ridding your plants of mealybugs is not an easy task. They thrive in crevices between branches in the interior of the plant where it is hard to spray them. Another issue is that one female can lay up to 600 eggs, quickly expanding their population.These insects can spread to other nearby plants.
If you choose to spray with an insecticide, make sure it is labeled to control mealybugs. There are a number of pesticides that can be used to treat for mealybugs. Read labels carefully to see if there are lists of plants that can be harmed by specific products.
Spider mites are another common pest of Burning Bush. If that is your issue, you would see their webbing. Here is some information on identifying and controlling spider mites:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-2012-11
