Chookie wrote:

In article ,
"Tonto_Goldstein" wrote:



I haven't seen any little critters, but from searching on the interwebnet
thingy, it seems the might have a bit of a scale infestation(?)

Any other suggestions as to what it might be, and what the right treatment
would be?



It's probably sooty mould, which IIRC can be caused by a scale infestation.
We have bottlebrushes planted as street trees, and most of them have it. You
could try a bit of pruning to let more light into the centre of the tree.



Ant "farm" scale insects, which they look after. Try some white oil. It
sufficates the scale. Also try and get rid of the ants.
An argentinian ant eater would be grouse, but we have to settle for
spiny ant eaters. Er hard to get. So poison ? Boiling water
Flood them ? Er even the local pest people are at a wits end. Nothing
seems to stop em.