The female lays 10 to 16 eggs, which remain protected under her body until they hatch. In one to three weeks, bright yellow immature forms called crawlers hatch from the eggs. A typical symptom of tea scale infestation is yellow splotches on the upper surface of leaves. With a large infestation, the undersides of the leaves are covered by a cottony mass. Spraying with dormant oil in spring before new growth begins will kill some adults and eggs by smothering them.
Most insecticides are effective only against the crawlers.
In addition, using an insecticide against scales can result in the deaths of naturally occurring enemies of scales. As such, insecticides should be avoided unless the camellia is very valuable. As with all pesticides, read and follow all label instructions and precautions. Camellia flower buds may drop off of the plant before opening or the tips of the young buds turn brown. One of the most common causes is large fluctuations in temperature or moisture.