On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 13:30:18 GMT, peter123 wrote:

I've had another look at the leaves and you're right, I can see
something on the underside....they appear to be small brown (1mmx2mm)
marks which run up the middle of the leaf...so I think you're
right....the brown marks also come off if I scrape them with my finger
(see picture).

The problem is that this is on every leaf and there's no way I will be
able to scrape them all off.

Others have done it, so can you. Soft toothbrush, soapy water. Or
a soft plastic implement of some sort that won't harm the leaf
itself. Or even a fingernail. Clean a few leaves every day and in
a surprisingly short while, you will be finished. And there's
something intensely satisfying about controlling pests by killing
them one by one, by hand.

The problem has become so serious (and please bear in mind I'm a
complete novice), that I am considering removing all the leaves and
seeing if it will grow again from the root (this is what I have read
about Bay Trees)....is this sensible?

The tree is already badly weakened; imo you may kill it by
defoliating it. And since scale insects also attack the younger
twigs with thin bark, removing the leaves won't entirely expunge
them.

In the future, once you've cleaned up your bay tree or replaced
it with a healthy one, it would be wise to keep an eye peeled for
reinfestation. Just check the undersides of a few leaves every
week or so; when scale appears, take action promptly.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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