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Beech scale, also known as felted beech coccus, is a scale insect that feeds on the sap

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding. of beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) trees. It is found in colonies in crevices of the bark

Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants. of the trunk and larger branches.

Scale insects are sap sucking true bugs belonging to several families in the Hemiptera. Typically the adults are immobile having a flattened or raised appearance, with no visible legs. They often look like a ‘scale’ on a leaf or stem, many species produce a white wax often covering egg masses. There are more than 100 species found in Britain, 26 of which have been introduced. More than 25 species can be found in gardens or on houseplants.

Individual scales are about 1 mm long but populations are usually detected by the grey-white waxy powder that colonies produce.

There is no honeydew produced and little direct damage is caused but affected trees may become more susceptible to beech bark

Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants. disease, a combination of the scale and a canker fungus (Nectria coccinea) ().

As this insect usually causes little direct damage to trees management is not necessary and it can be treated as part of the insect life that beech trees can support.

Beech scale is a parthenogenetic (reproducing without the need for males) scale insect with one generation year.

During the summer each female lays clusters of up to eight eggs under the protective white waxy wool like substance. The eggs hatch by late summer and the nymphs settle to feed in bark

Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants. crevices. They overwinter as nymphs becoming adults in early spring.