Trident issue

I have had this mature Trident maple for a few years. Portions of several branches have not survived the winter, which was very mild with few days below freezing. There are a number of small (approx. 1.0 mm length) white 'things' on the branches. On close inspection they almost look like larvae, but even with magnification there are no features distinguishable. Nothing is moving and they fall off when I pick at them with a 1 mm screwdriver. I did spray with Immunox Plus the other day when I saw them. Thanks for looking and any help with identification.

Scale? I've seen scale on Beech that looks similar. Would also explain the weakening of the branch.
-Jay

Hmm, not like any scale I've seen. Hope that Nina or someone else with experience of similar can step in....

Look up cottony maple scale,

take a look also at this from the Delaware co-op extension. Looks fairly similar. Scale on broad leaf deciduous trees often looks very different from what we normally think of as scale.

http://kentcoopextension.blogspot.com/2009/04/landscape-scale-insects-japanese-maple.html

-Jay

Jay, a few references I have found following your suggestion support your tentative ID. Pictures and quoted sizes are very similar.
Japanese Maple scale, not the same as Cottony Maple scale.
Lopholeucaspis japonica is the name. Thanks much.

Thanks for posting this John, I just found my tree has this as well

While I dont over use chemicals of any kind in the garden I must admit to a couple of spray applications of insecticide to all my trees each year now. Even with this i do see a few aphids on new maple growth and under beech leaves, plus those little catapillars that roll up the new leaves of the satsuki ! I think routine spray applications stop pest populations reaching a proportion that can weaken or kill branches or even whole trees.

Good id too. I'd remove the infected bits and spray surrounding trees if you didn't last time as there may be others tucked away on other trees.

cheers Marcuus