Mealybug - how to deal with indoor plants
Content:
Mealybug is one of the most dangerous parasites on domestic flowers, which leads to their complete destruction. You can read about how to deal with this parasite on indoor plants, which varieties are more common than others.
Mealybug - how to deal with indoor plants
The mealybug, or hairy louse, is a sucking pest that cannot be overlooked on plants. It is a small oval parasite, up to 4 to 6 millimeters in size, depending on the species. Looks like a centipede with long antennae. Has a shaggy white body with bristles on the sides.
There are three types:
- seaside;
- bristly;
- grape.
Mealybug
The plant is harmed only by the larvae of the mealybug, which look like a tick. They reach a size of 3 mm and are collected in colonies. They have well-developed legs, they can easily move from one plant to another. They damage plants by gnawing shoots, picking up under the bark or bulbs. As a result, the flowers stop growing and gradually die.
Causes of the appearance of a pest on plants
There is no exact answer to the question under what conditions, why and where does the parasite appear. However, most often it appears under the following circumstances:
- waterlogging or drying out of the soil of the plant;
- incorrectly selected temperature, humidity and illumination;
- lack of inspection of pots, untimely removal of dried parts and lack of water procedures;
- ignoring quarantine after buying new plants.
Infection symptoms
Symptoms that the culture is infected and it is necessary to start getting rid of the parasite usually looks like this:
- Fluff or cotton wool appears on the leaves. There are insect eggs, from which larvae hatch, which crawl over flowers and stems and destroy them.
- The culture begins to lag behind in growth, rapidly dry up and die.
- Leaves and buds fall off, flowering stops, leaves become sticky and yellow.
- The shoots are deformed, white fluffy lumps appear, which then turn into soot.
In addition, a large accumulation of white dots can be seen on the surface of the crops. This will be the start for removing insects from home flowers.
Symptoms
Typical signs of plant damage by a worm
When a plant is attacked by a furry louse, it will stop growing and show its flowers. Also, when it dries up, the foliage falls off. The most important sign of damage is the appearance of a white coating on the leaves, resembling flour and many large insects that can be removed and crushed with your fingers.
What plants are most often affected and how dangerous
Most often, the shaggy louse attacks azalea, amaryllis, asparagus, anthurium, grapes, gerbera, hibiscus, dracaena, cactus, kalanchoe, camellia, croton, monstera, oleander, palm, pachystachis, fuccia and philodendron. Sticky leaves appear on dracaena, buds are deformed on an orchid, and yellow leaves appear on violets.
The parasite is dangerous to plants in that it destroys their root system, leaves and twigs, leaving white traces of their vital activity on their surface. Also, insects poison the soil where the seedlings grow, and turn the habitat of the planted culture into hell.
Plant species
Where to start the fight against mealybug
At first glance, it is difficult to understand that a shrub is infected with an insect, since the culture is covered with a white bloom, similar to fungus or mold. Therefore, at the initial stage, it is important to decide what you still have to fight with. After that, you need to use one of the popular insect control methods. This can be done using proven chemicals or using folk methods. It is important to follow through and get rid of the pest completely. As a rule, it will take 10-12 days to completely defeat insects.
How to get rid of mealybugs on houseplants
Many people use chemicals and folk remedies as popular and most effective methods of struggle. Of the latter, they most often turn to soapy water, tinctures of medicinal herbs (for example, to calendula or horsetail), olive oil with water, garlic-water solution, tincture of orange and lemon peels.
No less effective is the method of treating the roots of a plant with hot water and then transplanting it into a new pot with fresh fortified soil. Also, simple washing of the plant under warm water, transplanting to a new place with a substrate and periodic prophylaxis with a lemon solution helps.
Soap solution
Folk remedies: soap-alcohol solution
An alcohol-based soap solution is one of the best remedies for quickly getting rid of a mealybug problem. All you need is to take any soap and stir it in warm water until it is completely dissolved. Then add 1 tablespoon of vodka or pure alcohol. With the help of the resulting preparation, spray it for 3 times with a 7-day interval.
Mealybug chemicals
There are many reliable home crop chemicals available. Among them, insecticides of such brands have proven themselves:
- Actars;
- Actellika;
- Fitoverma;
- Confidor Extra;
- Bi-58;
- Spark Gold;
- Apploud.
Some of the chemicals are toxic and can harm people and animals. Therefore, the processing must be done in open rooms and rubber gloves, away from animals and children.
Chemical treatment
Preventive actions
To avoid the appearance of hairy lice, it is necessary to regularly examine the leaves, stems and flowers of plants at risk for the appearance of white spots. If a diseased flower is found, treat it with preparations and wipe the rest of the indoor plants that are in close proximity to each other with soapy water.
Once every two weeks, it is necessary to wipe large leaves with a damp cloth and moisten the flowers with light spraying, removing dust and dirt from them. Also, when dry parts appear, remove them in a timely manner.
In general, mealybug is an unpleasant phenomenon that affects many flowering house shrubs and perennial flowers. You can get rid of it with prevention, timely detection and chemicals.
