Neonicotinoids are effective for controlling many scale insects as a soil drench or basal trunk application.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not applicable
• D. Only as foliar spray

Answer: (B)

Neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides, meaning they move through the plant and can reach sap-feeding insects. But their effectiveness against scale insects isn’t universal and depends on the species and where the insect lives on the tree. Basal trunk sprays don’t reliably deliver the product to the insects that inhabit bark or inner areas, and soil drenches rely on root uptake and distribution that may not expose scales effectively, especially for armored scales or scales deep in the canopy. Because of this variability, it isn’t accurate to say they’re effective for many scale insects when used strictly as a soil drench or basal trunk application.