White gummy substance on Acer

[Maggiethecat]

I’m just about to re-pot my Acer and have noticed this white gummy substance on the stems.

Presume this is caused by a pest?

Woolly aphid springs to mind, would that fit?

Mealy bugs?

Don’t know, I’ve given it a spray with soapy water.

@Maggiethecat They are scale insects. They sit on top of a little fluffy mound like that, and spraying them makes no difference. They are like limpets. You need to use a toothbrush or similar to scrape them off. There will be other baby ones hiding along the branches, they look like small brown bumps on the bark and are well camouflaged. Cheeky blighters. Once you think you've got them all, then spray with whatever you want. Keep an eye on it for new ones appearing.

Right! Scrubbing time @Yamadori

Everyday, school day!