Crape myrtles are a common sight in southern landscapes, but they are at risk from an invasive insect in the form of crape myrtle bark scale. There are ways to combat this troublesome pest, but researchers at Auburn University have found a natural method they claim works better than using pesticides.
The team focused on attracting natural predators to deal with the pests. Using orange oil to attract lady beetles, they observed that the beneficial insects significantly reduced the bark scale population within weeks.
