“We?EUR??,,????'???ve learned that there are instances of cycad aulacaspis scale infestation in and around the Bexar County area,” said Molly Keck, Extension entomologist and integrated pest management specialist for the county. “This can cause serious damage to sago palms, which are very popular landscape plants in the area.”

The sago palm is not actually a palm but a cycad, said David Rodriguez, Extension horticulturist for Bexar County.

“Sagos have become a very popular landscape plant in South and Central Texas due to their palm-like appearance and generally hearty and slow-growing nature,” he said. “They typically don?EUR??,,????'???t have many insect problems, but the aulacaspis scale pest can do serious damage. And if left untreated, it can kill the plant.”

Cycad aulacaspis scale is also known as Asian cycad scale and sago palm scale. The pest originated in Thailand and was introduced into the U.S. in Florida in the 1990s.

The pest was reported in the Rio Grande Valley in 2004, said Boris Castro, Extension entomologist with the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Weslaco. In 2006, it reached outbreak levels there.

The tiny, white, flat, scale-like pest damages sago palms by sucking the juices out of their leaves, also called fronds, Keck said.

“One of the initial indicators of a possible infestation by this pest is yellow spots on the leaves,” she said. “The insect can reproduce quickly and prolifically, so the infestation can spread rapidly and possibly kill a plant within a month.”

The insect has a waxy exterior that resists penetration, making it difficult to control through many insecticides, she said.

“It also has no known natural enemy to help keep its spread in check,” she said.

For homeowners, pressure-wash spraying both sides of the plant fronds is an effective means of dislodging the scales, he said, as is the regular application of an insecticide labeled for use against the pest.

There are several low-cost insecticides available at garden centers for controlling scale insects, Castro said. Homeowners can manage the pest by using horticultural spray oils or insecticidal soaps.