These bugs are killing my hedges in 3 different locations. There are thousands of them. I have tried many commercial products over the last 2 years and many more home remedies. Nothing has worked. The hedge is now dying presumably from the bugs attacking the plants.
These are white wax scale - which will get established on stressed plants, often due to lack of adequate water. There are three ways to get rid of them: #1. The manual and very tedious way is to prize them off with your fingers and put them in a bag to go in the garbage. #2. Spray with Eco-Oil which will break down the waxy shell that protects the sap suckering insect inside. They will then be suffocated by the oil or will be vulnerable to attack by birds who will eat them. #3. The very eco-way:- take two egg-cups of vegetable oil and an egg-cup of liquid soap and mix until it becomes white. Blend one tablespoon of the mixture with a litre of water and spray the affected area well. (only do this when the weather is cool).