That is a scale insect I beleive

Icky. Curious to hear what that is.

I would second the scale diagnosis.  Could be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me.  Check out a google image search, cause I heard there are hundreds of different kinds. 

Thats scale insect and there so many different types its mind blowing some say in the 1000s.
There kinda prehistoric looking with that outer shell.

I also was thinking scale insects too.
Does it move or is it stationary?
If it is moving around then it's not a scale insect.because they become stationary and suck the sap from the plant while they build a waxy shield to protect themselves.
They also make a sticky mess which can cause a mold or mildew on the leaves.

You can easily control it by using a q tip. And remove manually. If you have a lot you need to spray with horticulture oil.

Sorry, I left off the what to do. If you tree's are small enough just locate and squish them. I have never found them on my figs, but a different species I do get on my Japanese Maples.  I think sometimes dormant oil is used, but if a small number just detach and crush. With the coat of waxy substance they can be hard to hit with chemicals

I tried controlling scale on some heliconia with squishing and then with an oil but neither were effective.  I used malathion and the problem was taken care of.  Mine were a dark brown scale and maybe with a harder coat than the ones yours have.

I had some that looked similar last summer.  I used Neem Oil (low dilution) and after a couple of weeks I didn't see any more of these.  

Mike 

Oil should work as long as you can reach them all.  Not hard on smaller plants with well-spaced branches.

I've been screwing around trying to spray some form of scale on a miracle fruit plant for about a year without adequate results and I'm now determined to use malathion since it worked so well on my heliconia.

I have used Bayer tree and shrub something or another.  It comes in a blue plastic bottle for about $25. It is a systemic, so you dilute with water (follow directions) and water plant at the drip line if in the ground.  I had some kind of boring insect in a very large old tree I want to keep.  I kept seeing sawdust on the ground under a hole about 12 inches above ground.  Within 3 weeks or so it was gone!!  I am not sure if it does scale, but I know it does mealy bug and that boring insect. 

I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS FOR EDIBLES!!!!!!!!!  CHECK THE LABEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Their waxy cuticle protects them from topical applications. In immature stages it is less protective or absent, and so they are more susceptible to this kind of control.  This means it will take some persistence to control with several applications.

one of my fig nightmare. along with RKN, and mold/rot.

Thanks to all the responses, once I had an idea what to look up. I did find that they are definately scale. They don't move and the pictures that I've found match exactly. I gave the VISTA a bath in alcohol removing the scales that I saw. I'm going to give it my best shot in trying to get rid of these things since I really don't want to get rid of this tree, I got it from JON and hear so much about the vista that I can't wait to taste some figs so I have no problem putting in some time and making her into an alcoholic. This kind of gives me an excuse to have a cigar and a scotch with VISTA since I hate to see a tree drink alone,lol.

as long as it's a nice cuban cigar and a dram of highland single malt, i'm right there with you.

lol Pete, A monte cristo cuban,,,,,,,,shhhh!!! and of course it's single malt, 18 year old Macallan, no self respecting kilt wearing scotsman would drink anything less,lol.

here is pix of me in my tartan. mcleod of harris. was given right to wear the colour back in 1984 while playing with clan mcleod pipes and drums. still wear it when i'm not playing with band.

Pretty sure that Bayer product is NOT for use on food crops. I can't recall the spelling but if it contains something like imidaclore or something liek that it is highly poisonous. It is also one of the insecticides that is believed to be causing the problems with bee colonies, but it is a highly effective inscticide hence the wide spread useage. 

Great pic Pete!! I always wanted to try to play the pipes. I used to play saxaphone and clarinet and have been fascinated by the pipes. In my old days when I belonged to a string band here in Philly we won first prize in the Mummers parade and a bagpipe band was at the performance hall for their own show. They came by to where we were and serenaded us. It was an incredibly powerful and beautful sound. much more impressive live than in a recording   

imidacloprid?

Greetings

After reading all the posts here this morning I went and inspected my newly acquired VISTA and lo and behold, this plant had about 15 or so scale critters on the two leaves and main trunk. I peeled off the ones that were on the trunk and completely removed both leaves since there was a lot of evidence of scale attack. Thanks for all the posts, I might not have inspected and found these nasty critters 'til the plant was worse off.

Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus & Vegetable Insect Control is, indeed, imidacloprid.  This insecticide, which is pretty low-impact, is used at this concentration with fruiting plants. It is systemic, applied to the soil and taken up by the roots.  It will control scale as well as fungus gnats (one of our other topics, currently).  This product is widely used in the citrus tree industry (Merit), which is actually a higher concentration of imidacloprid than what you see with Bayer Advanced.  I would still manually remove any scale you see with isopropyl alcohol, but I would also tree with Bayer Advanced, to make sure you get rid of any of the earlier stages of the scale.

http://www.bayeradvanced.com/insects-pests/products/fruit-citrus-vegetable-insect-control

And Pete, you look AWESOME!  I am a Fraser (of Lovat), was very active in Highland Games as a kid, was a Highland dancer, and did try my hand at learning the pipes.  I actually started to get pretty good, but then moved from Maryland back to California.  I need to start lessons, again, I kind of surprised myself, actually.  I play piano and guitar, and can read music, but had never played a wind instrument, and the pipes are the ultimate wind instrument!  What grade piper are you??  I am in awe.  Love the pipes, all of them. 

Last night I gave the vista a bath in the alcohol and when I got home today proceeded to peel off each one of the scales, they were all dried up, I guess the alcohol did that. I gave it another douse of alcohol and water with a sprayer and will be on the lookout for anymore of these little prehistoric looking critters.

Pete, I wish I was musically inclined, I did buy a practice chanter to try and learn the pipes but it never work out. You look great in the kilt, I love wearing mine and always get a ton of compliments, it's clan McGregor.
Thanks again to all who responded with this dilemma of mine.
Scott

Wondering if someone sent out cuttings unknowing this critter was on them? How would you know. The reason I ask is, if the person sent out many cuttings to others, maybe give a heads up for others to keep an eye out. Even for there own. Everyone is so busy these days, so might not even check their plants for such. Please don't take the wrong way, not pointing any fingers or nothing like that. Just something to think about. Could be possible to already have on other plants at your location.

Nice pictures fellows, thanks for showing.


luke