The scabbard is considered a formidable pest of all plants, since it spreads easily and adapts to insecticides. Knowing the methods of influence, the fight against it will bring the desired results.
Description of the insect pest
It belongs to the family of sucking pests - Pseudococcid. It can easily be confused with a false shield, a distinctive feature is the presence of a shell consisting of wax and completely hiding the body, which comes off without much difficulty.
Very mobile at all times of the year. It is not picky in food, eats both garden, houseplants, and poisonous. Upon detection, you should immediately resort to the means of disposal and preventive measures, otherwise the scale shield will settle well and it will be difficult to remove it.
Indoor plants most susceptible to attacks of scale insects
Pests attack many plants. The most favorite are orchids. I really like ficus, ivy, cyperus, palm trees, tangerines, asparagus, lemons, dizigoteka.
Bypasses fluffy plants - violets, eschinanthus, as well as species of gesneriaceae.
In the apartment can get along with the land brought from the garden or with the purchase of a new plant. Therefore, it is necessary to examine not only the flowers themselves, but also the soil.
What does a scabby plant look like?
The presence of brown patches is indicated by the presence of brown spots, and subsequently the falling of infected parts. This is because the pest sucks out all the juices, taking up strength for existence.
The following distinguishing features can be distinguished:
- the appearance of sticky spots;
- yellowed leaves, as well as stunted flower;
- the presence of brown tubercles.
Reasons for the appearance of scale insects
The main reason is the purchase of a new plant and its early resettlement to existing ones. In order to avoid its appearance, the purchase should be carefully examined and set aside away from others for a while. Rinsing leaves and stems with warm water will be useful.
Mature specimens are mainly fixed on one plant and are content with its juice without touching other flowers. Young individuals lead a very active lifestyle and easily move to their neighbors.
Different ways to deal with scale insects
There are various ways to counter parasites.
Mechanical
The first thing to do is to find and remove female individuals that have a shell that serves as a great shield from all types of etching. This is done by hand using a cotton pad or stick soaked in a prepared soap or alcohol solution. Soap is suitable liquid, household or tar. Then the plant is soaped and left for 30 minutes, after which it is washed off in the shower.
Folk remedies to combat scale insects
Folk remedies that will most effectively help get rid of the pest are shown in the table.
| Ingredients | Receiving funds | Application |
| Tar soap | 10 g of soap is dissolved in 1 liter of water. | Leaves and stems are wiped, sprinkled, protecting the earth with polyethylene. |
| Wood ash | 300 g of ash are added to 1 liter of boiling water, the resulting mass is boiled for 30 minutes. Immediately before use, the prepared solution is diluted with 10 l of water. | |
| Burdock oil, washing powder | 10 g of oil and 10 g of powder are combined in 1 liter of water. The solution is infused for 4 hours. | It is wiped systematically with a preventive purpose once a month. |
| Alcohol, liquid soap | 10 ml of alcohol, 15 ml of soap, 1 liter of hot water are combined and mixed until a foam forms. | It is applied to all parts of the plant, after checking the reaction to the compound. |
| Engine oil, liquid soap | 10 ml of soap, 30 ml of oil mixes well until foam. | The mixture treats the infected area for half a day, then it is thoroughly washed off under running water. After 7 days, the event is done again. In total, 3 procedures will be needed. During the event, cover the soil from the ingress of solution. |
| Green soap, tar soap, kerosene | 25 g of green and 100 g of tar soap dissolves in 1 liter of water, then there are 5 drops of kerosene. | It is applied using a spray gun, followed by washing under running water. |
| Bow | Gruel is made from onion. | It is smeared on the affected parts, removed mechanically, and then washed with a soap solution. |
Chemicals
For the chemical attack, drugs such as:
- Metaphos;
- Actellik;
- Actara;
- Fitolavin.
Actara is considered the most effective.
The scabbard is difficult to remove due to the presence of a shell on it, therefore it is recommended to carry out the treatment several times every week until the pest disappears completely. However, you must adhere to the conditions specified in the instructions, and do not overdo it, because their excessive use can harm not only the plant, but also the person.
Mr. Dachnik recommends: prevention in the protection of houseplants from damage by scale
If a number of preventive actions are observed, the appearance of a parasite can be avoided:
- Create good ventilation.
- Spray frequently with water.
- Isolate the affected flower immediately.
- Do not postpone the beginning of counteractions.
- Systematically conduct a thorough inspection for the presence of scabies on indoor plants.
- The purchased plants should be kept isolated for some time to detect the presence of pests.
