Do you have crape myrtle bark scale? Dr. Jeff Wilson shows you what to do. Read more here: http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/crape-myrtle-bark-scale-identification-and-control #MSUext | Mississippi State University Extension Service

The primary pest of crape myrtles in our area is crape myrtle bark scale (CMBS). These insects suck the sap from branches and trunks, and then excrete a sugary substance called honeydew on which black sooty mold grows. One of the main predators of CMBS is the twice stabbed lady beetle apply named for the two red spots on its black body. Both the adults and the larva feed on CMBS. | GardenLine

CRAPE MYRTLE PRUNING 101 | Mississippi State University Extension Service