This is one of the bushes that is suffering.

I'm not sure either but it looks more like afids than spider mites, I did a google image search, sorry I cant be more of a help to you.

you can NOT take pix of spider mites ... so rule them out ...

pruning is NEVER an option for insect/bug control .. IMHO ... if it has leaves ...

where are you .... SE is a bit vague ...

ken

Not aphids.

I'd put my money on scale. A serious case.

Way too large to be spider mites, and wrong color...spider mites are seen with a magnifying glass, without one you might see very tiny black/dark dots but you wouldn't see their eggs or the young-uns.

Also doesn't look like the scale I'm familiar with (San Jose Red Scale on citrus)...which tend to line up on the veins, are rounder, and eventually produce yellow areas around themselves where they've sucked the life out of the leaf.

Have you looked closer with magnification...they almost look like little worms, or larva. Are they moving around?

Mix up some Safer's Soap, or some kind of soap solution and see if a good spray coating kills them.