Can someone please help I can find nothing to help me identify this mess. We noticed that our Japanese Magnolia is dying. It's branches are covered in black. The leaves are weighted down with a sicky substance that is actually dripping into the grass and killing it too. On the branches there are tiny (about 1-2 centimeters) little yellow pod like things. Round with a raised square, it looks like some type of bug may be incubating inside...The tree out front looks like it is on it's last leg, and we just noticed that it has moved to the southern Magnolia in the back.
Maybe small yellow-like aphids? Sometimes, when they position themselves to feed, they could look like tiny pods - sort of. My first guess is a type of aphid, and the black can be a "sooty mold" residue on their droppings. But let's see what other ideas folks have.
Thanks for your reply, the black soot is a total coverage, all of the branches are black, as well as the blades of grass under the tree. I will keep researching and I put in a call to our city's tree person (not sure of his official title)-thanks! Kateri, Fairhope, Al.
yeah, from the description, i'd say scale bugs as well...it would really help if we could see what you've got going there, though. any way you can take some pics and post them?
