Hi, can you please help me identify these growths/larvae growing on my lime tree branches. They seem to bleed when picked off and I also have ants present. Thanks.

Hi Ellen, these are scale insect, likely Waxy Scale Insect, these are sap sucking insects that reduce the vigour of the tree. They can be picked off or controlled by spraying the tree with a horticultural spraying oil mixed with water and sprayed every 7-10 days, repeat sprays will be required to break the life cycle. Alternatively, spraying with a pyrethrum based spray is also effective, make sure to spray early in the morning or late in the afternoon when bees are not foraging or visiting flowers. Repeat sprays will also be required every 7-10 days. The ants are present because the scale insect excretes a honey dew that attracts ants, once the scale insect is gone, the ants will disappear. Lianne.