Bruce, there are different types of scale. That white fluffy stuff is
Boisduval scale. I once spotted a creature on a Phal flower. It was small
and looked like powder or cotton. You could smear it with a Q-Tip or tissue.
Alcohol removed it. I wiped it off, but the next day several more had
replaced it. After taking photos and examining them, it was apparent that it
was some type of insect. But I was clueless as to what it was.

So, I posted a picture to trusty abpo and got the answer. It was "cottony
cushion scale". Scale was the last thing I would have thought of.

Diana

"BruceM" wrote in message
...
As I understand it , the brown cones are the females, and the white fluffy
ones (looks like powdered sugar, cotton fluffs, or a tiny spider egg pouch
to me) are the males . The males do look a lot like mealybugs.

More experienced enthusiasts, please correct me if I am wrong.

"eeyore" wrote in message
...
Ok,

Now I'm confused. I always considered the little brown cones I found
on the bottom of leaves as scale. What is in these pictures looks to me
more like mealy bugs (though I'm sure I'm mistaken). Am I just seeing
adults while these are young scale? I did find it interesting that the
males fly. I always had what I thought were gnats.

"BruceM" wrote in message
...
For all of the lurkers and new enthusiasts trying to glean
information.... I never found really good pictures of this when I was
researching my infestation. Here are a couple for you to reference. I
beleive these are Boisduval scale .

http://home.roadrunner.com/~katkom/scale1.jpg
http://home.roadrunner.com/~katkom/scale2.jpg

from South Dakota State University
http://nathist.sdstate.edu/orchids/pests/scales.htm

http://nathist.sdstate.edu/orchids/p...ale%20male.jpg
http://nathist.sdstate.edu/orchids/p...0on%20leaf.jpg
http://nathist.sdstate.edu/orchids/p...0in%20axil.jpg