Woolly vine scale (cottony vine scale), Pulvinaria vitis, on stems of a grape vine, Vitis vinifera. The picture shows the shells of two adult female scale insects (brown) in early winter. Each secreted a mass of white wax fibres, the ovisac, into which eggs were laid before the adult died. P. vitis is a sap-feeding bug named after the grape vine, but it can be found on a variety of other plants, including apricots, peaches, and members of the Ribes genus, such as blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries. P. vitis is of little economic importance, although heavy infestations in orchards or - as here, in glasshouses - may amount to a nuisance, as wasps and other insects are attracted to the honeydew secreted by the scale. On an edible home crop plant such as a grape vine, non-chemical control can be achieved by removal of the scales during winter using a cloth or brush with soapy water