I used "Compare-N-Save Systemic Tree and Shrub Insect Drench" and it says "up to 12 months or protection". No further details provided in instructions about how long it lasts. Perhaps this is a case of just following the instructions and doing it once per year?
https://www.amazon.com/Compare-N-Save-Systemic-Shrub-Insect-Drench/dp/B00ARKS5QO
pour this stuff around the base of the tree.
It is harmful to all bugs including good bugs like bees so only use if absolutely necessary (as seems your case) and never use on fruiting trees you plan to eat from
Best way I found was to use a systemic insecticide, something like this or the granules that amazon also has. It's basically poison that the plant sucks up when you water it, then when the bugs try to eat the plant they're poisoned. Note that it will not work against spider mites if you get those.
The best solution is imidacloprid, if you live in a place where its legal. Make sure to use it only when your plant is not in bloom to avoid killing bees. I use this one. Best solution for almost everything except spider mites. I actually started using it because of whiteflies attacking my euphorbia milii.
I also prefer the liquid. I use https://www.amazon.com/Compare-N-Save-Systemic-Shrub-Insect-Drench/dp/B00ARKS5QO/ref=sr_1_5?crid=10EQLG5ZAZVZ4&keywords=imidacloprid%2Bdominion&qid=1655988437&sprefix=imidacloprid%2Bdominion%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-5&th=1
Water the whole root zone thoroughly the day before treatment to prep the soil for absorption (rather than the treatment running off).
The scale will die off within a week, but their crusty little bodies will remain for a good while until they get weathered off. Treatment lasts for several months.
I don't use it on food crops or any plants that attract pollinators or produce fruit (my hollies attract a lot of birds in winter with its berries).
Check the scale bodies after a couple weeks. Use something pointy or your fingernail to scrape and flip them over. They should be papery and dry. If they're still meaty, you might need a follow up treatment.
Good luck, that's a pretty little juniper!
I had to cut down two but still have one that's about 150ft and doing good! I use imidacloprid drench once a year and will keep it nice. It won't reverse but halt the EAB and if you follow treatment it wont get any worse. In my case, it's a beautiful old growth tree that is in part of our deck and backyard that we wanted to keep as long as possible. Of course you may opt to cut down if you so choose.
Here's a good guide on when and how to use it
This is the cheapest imidacloprid I've found. Use at a rate of 1oz per 1in per circumference of tree trunk. My tree is ~90in round so I need at least 90oz per year.
This pesticide will kill them however it takes time, you need to manually assault them with e.g. neem oil while you see them.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ARKS5QO/
This pesticide is approved for use in fruit-bearing plants if you follow the instructions but you might not want to, if you prefer organic foods.
Note that this is one of the pesticides that weakens honeybees, if you just have one tree it probably won't make much of a difference to the local bees but don't go nuts over using this on every tree in your yard.
That Bayer tree and shrub is 0.74% Imidacloprid.
I've used this product as well (1.47%) and it worked just as well and it's much cheaper per treatment. https://www.amazon.com/Compare-N-Save-Systemic-Shrub-Insect-Drench/dp/B00ARKS5QO/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=dominion+imidacloprid&qid=1644669211&sprefix=dominion+imi%2Caps%2C357&sr=8-7
I currently use this 21.8% concentrate, it's the best bang for my buck since I also treat my landscape plants and trees as needed. Seems Amazon only has them in 1gallon right now. I usually just get a 32oz bottle for about $20. https://www.amazon.com/Quali-Pro-Imidacloprid-Insecticide-Turfgrass-Landscape/dp/B07GHY958D/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=dominion+imidacloprid&qid=1644669211&sprefix=dominion+imi%2Caps%2C357&sr=8-6
Indoor plant use is going to be off label since it's "for outdoor plants," so instructions are going to be a little confusing and geared to trees and shrubs. If there are no instructions for container use, consider your schefflera a shrub and treat accordingly. If rootball is dry, I like to water thoroughly and evenly a couple-several days before to prime the potting soil to hold moisture (so the treatment doesn't just run out the drain holes). Apply evenly and especially to the perimeter of the root ball to target root tips for good uptake. Depending on your planter size, it might make sense to break up an application into a couple treatments to avoid it running out the drain holes if your container is small or less than 5gallon.
For your water props, you could place each prop into the same treatment mix for a couple hours then return to clean water. I wouldn't leave the props in the mix for very long as the chemical tends to separate and settle after a couple hours. Something like Monterrey Spinosad Garden Insect Spray will probably work better with cuttings since they don't have roots to take up much treatment and you can just dunk the whole piece for perfect coverage vs spraying. Mix up a gallon and soak the cuttings for up to an hour in the mixture, return to prop station (this mix degrades, so use up what is left as a spray within a day or two). I wouldn't do the same with the Bayer because I don't want to come into contact with the Imidacloprid or leave residue on the leaves. The Monterrey, I'm less worried about since it's a simple bacterial toxin that doesn't harm animals. But I'm not sure if that's available in Canada, different governments are fussy and bossy about different things. :)
Good luck from Texas!
This product allowed me to end a years long war with scale insects in a fairly large collection. It works with mealies too according to the directions.
Mix it with your orchid water for a month or so, wear gloves and dont drink it. 100% elimination.
What spray are you using?
If you have a bad infestation and you’ve got tall plants like that, I’m imagining they are in large pots. I would actually buy something labeled for trees and shrubs that has imidacloprid and use it as a soil drench in this case. I’ve actually started doing that with all my houseplants because I have so many, some are large, and this is cheaper for me than buying a bunch of Bonide.
Compare-N-Save Systemic Tree and Shrub Insect Drench - 75333, 1 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ARKS5QO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_ZZHYT3GB91859XABJ9AV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I bought that stuff. You have to mix a certain amount with water depending on your plant or container size. It may be easier for you than continuing with Bonide. But make sure you retreat everything in 60 days, or even 50, because these guys are awful.
I would also get a pesticide sprayer, those 2 gallon things, and I would mix spinosad and abamectin together and spray the everloving hell out of every leaf and stem, from multiple angles, and across the top of the soil. If you have stuff like monsteras, make sure you get it to drip down into where the petioles attaches to the main vine because they love hiding in there. And spray every plant every 5-7 days because you unfortunately cannot kill the eggs of these bastards, and they’ll be continually hatching new ones and then reproducing. You want to kill all the adults asap so they can’t reproduce and continue their cycle of destruction.
If you do go with these pesticides, make sure you wear chemical resistant gloves and a respirator, and preferably do the spraying outdoors and let dry there. If it’s too cold, you could do it in your bathroom, or a basement or something and set up some tarps or plastic sheeting to catch the spray that overshoots the plants so you don’t get it all over your home. Then you’ll need to stay out of that area for at least 12 hours and keep pets out as well. To be safe, I would spray in the evening because I think that is when thrips are moving around more and also to avoid the possibility of light scorching the foliage while it has liquid on it. I think that liquid droplets can intensify the light or something and result in scorching but not sure; better safe than sorry though!
I wouldn’t wait around for the Bonide to start working though. If it is a bad infestation, spray the hell out of everything and keep doing it. Once you get that under control (which probably will take you a while, unfortunately), then you can ease up on spraying. But for me, I was spraying all of my stuff regularly for almost 2 months. It really sucked, but it’s under control now. I just retreated with the soil drench last weekend because I saw some honeydew present on a few of my philodendrons and I’m so traumatized by these thrips at this point that I’m contemplating spraying everything again just to be safe lol
I bought this off Amazon, it is one of the ingredients recommended on the Penn State lanternfly page
Compare-N-Save Systemic Tree and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ARKS5QO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I agree. It is going to be a maintenance nightmare. But I thought this insecticide once a year could help.