What is this? Friend of Foe?

I confess my ignorance before diving into this. I'm not only new to growing houseplants, but also new to this climate here in the Portland, Oregon area. What is this in my photo? I can best describe it as little white/cream colored balls clumped together with what seems to be some kind of white cotton-like material. Very small in size. I've seen these every once in a while on the surface of some of my house plants since moving here, and I have even discovered awhile back a great deal of them deep in the soil of a potted plant which I tossed, so I know it's not just a surface thing.

As a background to my bad habits, I know and am now fighting the battle to recovering from over-watering my plants, so I can't help but wonder if this is some kind of mold or fungus. Yet, also nagging me in the back of my head is the idea that these could be some kind of eggs of some pest. The only pests I've seen during our first six months here are mealybugs which were exclusively on only one plant which is on the other side of the apartment. Ants, which have come and gone. A small, small outbreak of spider-mites but again only on one houseplant which was/is at the other side of the apartment. And finally, I've always had a small but noticeable presence of small black gnat-like flies. They haven't been to bothersome and not too great in numbers so I haven't worried about them too much yet. I wouldn't mind though knowing what these gnats are, how harmful they are and how I might get rid of them. There is a possible correlation here as these gnat-like flies do tend to be found in the area where the houseplant in my photo is located. Maybe I'll get a pick of one the gnats and post it.

Any ideas? If more info is needed, just post the question and I'll answer it. Your time and help would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Jake

Looks like cotton scale to me. Parasite that slowly kills the plant. Look at the plant with magnifying glass any critters.

Thanks Soferdig. I'll get the magnifying glass out. I should mention also that this houseplant of the which the photo comes from has been doing quite well with new leaf. Just a basic potted ivy. I'm not sure exactly what type of ivy.

The gnats would be fungus gnats - overwatering just brings out the most in them. The gnats lay their eggs in the soil, and the larvae (tiny little maggots) feed on decaying matter, then pupate and emerge as the fungus gnats you see flying around. Drying out the plant a little before watering again will help. I also have used mosquito dunks in the water. They are made of a bacteria (Bacillus israelensis) that will kill the larvae. Very safe and doesn't do anything to anything else.
The big round thing in your photo is just a fertilizer - probably osmocote. The little white things? Do they move at all?

I dunno, Soferdig, they just don't look like scale to me...They seem way too small and not lined up on the plant, doing their thing. I'm wondering if it could be water retaining granules placed in the soil by the nursery. Or something foreign like that...Still thinking.
Mealybugs might be a possibility. But still quite small for that.

This message was edited Jun 13, 2006 5:30 PM

Here's a picture of fungus gnat eggs http://www.mda.state.mn.us/biocon/images/fgeggs.jpg

ceejaytown,

Thank you for the replies. You're right about the "big round thing." It came with the fertilizer/potting soil. I was hoping someone would recognize that because it helps provide scale for sizing up the little white balls. They are very small. I don't think they're mealy bugs. I have a Gardenia just recovering from mealy bugs and I have not noticed these white balls in the soil/pot of the Gardenia and believe me I've been pretty meticulous of my inspection with it.

I am more and more believing they could be tied with the gnats. The description of the fungus gnats you gave me sounds exactly like what I have. I'm sure you're right because I did/do have a tendancy to overwater. Terrible habit/addiction. In answer to your question, the little balls have not moved but then again I've only spent a minute or two watching them. I've had my share of slow movers such as mealybugs and I've seen them on the move so I don't think I missed any moves.

They really just look like some sort of collection of eggs. Either way I don't need them and I'm removing them today. The hard part is that I know from a previous experience with another potted plant which I disposed of, that these little white balls can be found deep in the potted soil. I feel like if I don't "re-pot" this plant and inspect every sqr inch of the soil I won't be getting rid of them. Maybe I'll try your suggestion of using "mosquito dunks."

As to the idea of them possibly being water retaining granules from the nursery, I repotted this plant myself with potting soil when I first got it and nothing like this was there at the first.

I also appreciate the link to the photo you provided. I only wish I could zoom in or have a bigger view of it. It's a very small image so I can't really tell if we have a match.

It's not some kind of fungus is it? Or are we really on the right track with those fungus gnats?

Again thank you ceejay and everyone for your time and thoughts.

Jake

I guess I didn't make myself too clear. I think that the white things are scale egg packets. There is a scale called cotton scale and the eggs look like this. Also they are a parasite that cylces and there may be no adults, or nymphal phases visible. Does the white ball easily crumble in between your fingers?

If it's a fungus, it would be a decomposing fungus - decomposing the organic matter in the soil. It doesn't look like anything I've seen that attacks plants. But I've got to admit, I've never seen this before.

I couldn't find any other pictures of fungus gnat eggs. I know what you mean about wishing it were bigger. That is still a possibility.

You could try an experiment, and take some of those out and place them in a petri dish or something similar - to keep them moist. And then see what happens. See if they hatch into little tiny maggots. That's what I would do because I have an extremely curious nature about this sort of thing. LOL And because I have a stereoscope to look at them.

BTW, that really is quite a photo! You have some great macro on the camera!!
CJ

Sofer - What is the name of that scale? I know of a cottony cushion scale, but its egg sac is attached. And other scales whose eggs are under the scale. Are you saying there is a scale whose eggs just are out there in the open (well, sort of in the open, at least there is no scale over it). I really would like to know more! Enquiring minds, and that sort of thing.....

CJ, just fyi I was able to get a close up of your photo. The "eggs" from your picture look more oblong and my "collection" consist of very spherical balls. That and your photo seems to lack the cottony substance tying them together. I'm definetly going to try your experiment although I don't have the equipment like you do. I'm jealous!

Sofer, I'm curious too about the scale possibility. Maybe you're on to something. I have checked the plant thoroughly over with a lighted magnifying glass. Checked stems, leaves bottom and top, and soil and could see no critters. Again, this is an ivy plant that is doing very very well. New growth and very green leaves. I think I've lost only maybe one or two leaves during the last six months. So what ever this stuff is, it doesn't seem to be harming the plant however I would want to prevent any possible future problems that may derive from it.

Thanks again,

Jake

This message was edited Jun 13, 2006 6:19 PM

I was just reading about this predator last week and can't google the same site about eggs but this is http://bugguide.net/node/view/5748/bgimage the bugger. I'll keep looking for the info I got.
here it is: Look under the tortise scale Coccidae (sp) http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_tipping_scales/index.html

This message was edited Jun 13, 2006 8:40 PM

This message was edited Jun 13, 2006 8:42 PM

This message was edited Jun 13, 2006 8:49 PM

Sofer,
The first link was to cottony cushion scale, and it is large, with the female carrying the very large egg sac behind her. Carrying is not the word, because she is not moving, but it is behind her. It's not cottony cushion scale. I'm very familiar with that.
I read through the second link and couldn't find what you are referring to. Did I miss it? Would you copy the text and post it please? Thanks.
Tortoise scale is so named because the scale resembles a tortoise. But they are on the branches, leaf structure etc, above ground and the eggs are under the scale. So I'm still confused.
CJ

Soft scales, wax scales and tortoise scales (Coccidae): Scales in this group produce copious honeydew and some may form large encrustations on twigs or limbs. white egg Cottony scales form unattractive masses under foliage. Common species include cottony camellia scale on camellia, yew, holly and a few others; calico scale and European fruit lecanium on numerous deciduous ornamentals; black scale, a southern species, on many plants; magnolia scale on magnolia; tulip-tree scale on magnolia and tulip tree; Fletcher scale on arborvitae and yew; cottony maple scale and cottony maple leaf scale on dogwood and many other hosts; and Indian wax scale on camellia, hollies and others Note the cottony scale egg masses under foilage. That is what I assumed was going on. Fungal masses often follow

Soferdig,

Thanks for the info. A couple more questions for you on the cottony scales. It says above in your post (from the link) that "white egg cottony scales form unattractive masses under foilage." Am I safe to assume this is refering to the top of the soil and not on the under-side of leaves? Also, keep in mind, I have found these to be clumped together at the very bottom of pots. Would it be commons for these cottony scales to be so deep?

Just a thought.

Again thanks for the info.

Jake

No, they are on the leaves, twigs, branches of the plant. And they are large. Very easy to see them with the naked eye - at a distance!
Here's an excellent site on cottony cushion scale http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html

This message was edited Jun 14, 2006 12:15 PM

I guess not scale it was a thought. Must be an alien that is going to take over the world. Oh My!

Just had a thought - Ooh! that hurts! Y'know, I don't know what the pupa stage of a fungus gnat looks like. But I have read they are microscopic. So that would rule these out, I would think. Eggs are microscopic also. So, never mind.....Again, maybe it's a decomposing fungus of the potting soil, or the way some other fertilizer looks after it gets wet...
Jake, please let us know what you find out with your experiment. I am so very curious! I really don't think you have anything to worry about if your plant appears healthy otherwise. Keep a lookout, just in case...and quit watering so much! ;-)

Thanks yall. It better not be aliens........ :-)

Jake

This looks very, very, very much like something I've been trying to identify myself this week. Several months ago I purchased 3 bales of peat moss from one supplier. I was kidding the guy loading it for me about these things getting heavier as we get older and he said that this load seems to be heavier than usual. First bale used was fine. When I cut open the second bale, it seemed to have an odor that peat doesn't usually have and I noticed a white 'stain' on the inside of the plastic covering. A smart person would have stopped right there,but no, I've never had any problems with peat or heard of any, so I used it. Each of my propagating flats and cups popped up quickly with this same looking stuff that I take to be some kind of fungus..on surface and as was said, deep into the soil also. I've lost seed, time and am sterilizing everything. Ag supply says they've heard nothing from other customers and supposedly I'll be getting a call from the peat company's rep. I doubt if anyone will admit knowledge of the problem, but I just want to know WHAT IT IS!

I been looking at this phot and been wondering if orginally you did not have some cottony cushion scale because of some of the shapes, like Sodig has suggested. There are oodles of kinds of scale that lay alot of egg masses.

It almost looks like an egg mass of some bug maybe somethign like a millipede or centipede or maybe it even was a beneficial and that because of over moisture has developed a fungal problem . Kinda like havign a pest and a pathogen at the same time.

Got any more or better pics?

I don't know what it is, but it is definitely not cottony cushion scale. They carry their egg mass with them, on the plant. And they're big! Other scales lay their eggs underneath their scales, where they are protected.

it's probably mold. I had a bunch of 5 gal pots i mixed up and spilled some of my coke in one and the one i spilled the coke in grew mold. only took a couple of days to grow.
i don't know if it was the sugar in the coke or something in from my mouth that got washed into the coke. argh!