Crapemyrtle Scale and Fall Webworms

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There's a new disease/insect in town and its name is Crapemyrtle Scale.

Here's a link to the OSU alert document http://entoplp.okstate.edu/pddl/pddl/2015/PA14-39.pdf

Excerpts -
Crepe myrtle bark scale
TX Agrilife photo
A new scale pest has been found infesting crapemyrtles in ornamental landscapes throughout Oklahoma. Crapemyrtle scale (aka crapemyrtle bark scale, CMS), Eriococcus lagerstroemiae, was first observed in the U.S. in 2004 by a landscape company in Richardson, Texas. This exotic scale pest likely originated from Asia, where it feeds on crapemyrtles and pomegranate. It has been spreading throughout Texas and other southern states, eventually reaching Ardmore, OK by 2012. Crapemyrtle scale is now found in eight counties in Oklahoma: Bryan, Canadian, Carter, Comanche, Marshall, Oklahoma, Payne, and Tulsa
Crepemyrtle scale
Photo - Louisana Blooms

Identification, Host Preference, and Life Cycle Crapemyrtle scale is closely related to azalea bark scale, which does not feed on crapemyrtles. Adult females are white to gray and felt like. They can be found encrusting twigs and trunks of crapemyrtles, and they exude a pink “blood-like” liquid when crushed. Initial detections are usually made by homeowners who notice the presence of black sooty mold on their crapemyrtles. This often leads to the initial diagnosis as crapemyrtle aphid, another sucking pest of crapemyrtles that is prevalent in some areas of the southern U.S. However, the appearance of white scale bodies on bark and the pink liquid associated with crushed scales is diagnostic of CMS. Under magnification, adult females are pink and measure about 2 mm (approximately 0.8 inches) long, and pink eggs and crawlers may be present.

If you see these symptoms, go directly to the link above and read. To fix the problem, scrub them off with mild dish soap. If you can't manage them that way, use horticultural oil.

webworm - moth caterpillar
In the same document, fall webworms are addressed and I know you have those! There is an epidemic of them this year.
webworm - moth caterpillar
The moth mother of
fall webworms

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