Hi and thanks for reaching us

Dealing with bugs is my work and that is a LOT of crapemyrtle bark scales.  It has a presence in MD since at least 2020.

The pictures show a lot of scales on the branches. They may be not all alive. Some forms are from an older generation (dead), some have holes in their covers, suggesting they were parasitized  (dead or near-dead), others are gray (dead), and the brigth withe ones are alive: they lose a red substance when crushed.

Scales like aphids secrete honeydew that attracts ants and other sugar-loving insects. The black fil on leaves is due to a fungus that also feeds on the sugar thing. Eliminate the most infected branches, dead or alive, is something you can do; dispose of them in the household trash. Spraying monthly with horticultural oil will help to keep the population in check. The use of systemic insecticides such as imidocloprid is illegal for Maryland residents. Only a certified professional applicator can use them.

The question is how strong is your attachment to this tree. The scale invasion tells me that the tree is stressed mostly by a lack of watering. In addition to water your tree, you can control the population by using a end-hose applicator and spray your tree with horticultural oil. You can also pay a tree expert to do a bark application right now or, if it's in the fall or next spring, a soil application. The last solution will be to cut down and remove the tree.

Good luck,