What can upset gardeners more than the appearance of pests on your favorite plants? And if we are talking about such a dangerous insect as a scale insect, it is important to learn about it as much as possible. The article will be useful to those who have already encountered this problem. And also to those who want to get information about where the scabbard on indoor plants comes from, how to fight. Photos of the pest will also be presented below.
General description of the pest
Shield is a dangerous enemy of domestic and garden plants. Even poisonous representatives of the flora can be attacked by this insect. The difficulty in combating scale insects on indoor plants lies in the fact that it is difficult to notice in the early stages. The insect larvae are very small, it is almost impossible to see them with the naked eye. An uninvited guest is discovered when the plant shows signs of wilting. But even earlier, at the next watering or spraying, the flower grower notices a small convex outgrowth of brown color on any part of the flower. What kind of "beast" is this? Let's get it right.
If we turn to the scientific classification, then the scale insect is a representative of the squadron. An amateur gardener does not say much about this. It will become a little clearer if we say that bugs belong to the same family, for example. Many of these insects must have been encountered. A distinctive characteristic of guards is the presence of a carapace-shield. Hence the name of the pest. False shields, which are also frequent guests on indoor plants, belong to the same family.
What does an insect look like?
If, while inspecting the leaves of a plant, you will find small bugs, as if clinging to the surface of a flower, it means that you have an adult female insect. Below in the photo - scale insects on a houseplant at different stages of development.
In the process of evolution, the female loses the ability to move and remains motionless. Males, however, both freely move within one plant and move to other flowers thanks to the wings. The life expectancy of males is short - several days, but this time is enough to fertilize the female.
On indoor plants, scale insects feed on juice. This is facilitated by the arrangement of the oral organs, which is scientifically called piercing-sucking. That is, the insect punctures the upper layer of the “victim” and sucks the nutrient juice.
What does a female look like
As we already understood, the female insect is the most dangerous. She herself eats the sap of plants, and also lays many eggs - future pests. The female is characterized by signs:
- the absence of wings and legs, and also she has no eyes and antennae;
- well-developed oral apparatus;
- the shield of an adult female is easily separated from the body, under which a light brown or white flesh is found;
- the young guard is soft;
- adult female cannot move, young female freely moves along the plant;
- body of the scutellum round or oval;
- the size of the female varies from 1.5-2 mm to 5 mm, depending on the species;
- the shell color is usually dark brown with different shades.
What does a male look like?
Males are dangerous because, due to their mobility, it is difficult to track whether all insects are destroyed. For males, it is characteristic:
- lack of oral apparatus;
- the presence of wings, legs and a large shield;
- the head, chest and belly are clearly visible on the male’s body;
- males can be red, brownish, light orange, or reddish gray.
Insect life cycles
To effectively deal with the pest, you need to know not only how the scabbard looks on indoor plants, but also what its “children” are like. Almost all types of insects breed by laying eggs. Their size does not exceed 0.3 mm. From the eggs appear larvae that go through two stages of growth:
- larvae in the first stage are called vagabonds, their size does not exceed 0.3 mm;
- second stage larvae reach 0.5 mm, have a bright shield.
From the first day of life, the larvae creep along the aerial part of the flower and begin to feed on its juice.
What harm does an insect cause to plants?
If a pest infected plant is not treated, then it will die soon. Therefore, it is important to regularly inspect the home garden and take timely measures to combat scabies on indoor plants.
The pest is dangerous not only because it damages the shell of the plant and deprives of nutrients. Scale shield emits the so-called pad - a sweet liquid. One can only guess about the taste of this product, hardly anyone has tried it. But by its physical properties, this liquid is sticky and viscous, like honey or sugar syrup. Such a substance contributes to the appearance of fungal diseases.
How does the scabies appear on indoor plants
There are several ways a pest can enter a house:
- Faced with a scabbard can be when acquiring a new plant infected with a pest. If the flower has not been quarantined and not inspected, the plants in the house will be attacked.
- The insect can get into the apartment from the street through the window.
- You can enter the scab with soil containing insect larvae.
In addition, there are factors affecting the spread of scale insects. Insects often attack weakened plants. This is due to the fact that a healthy plant, unlike a patient, has a protective mechanism that repels pests. Home flower can weaken due to improper care, as well as in winter during the heating season. Dry air, drafts, lack of lighting - factors contributing to the appearance of scale insects on indoor plants.
Signs of damage to indoor plants
Wary of scale insects should first of all be the owners of home palm trees, citrus plants, cacti, orchids and indoor roses. Other flowers also suffer from the pest, but less often. Therefore, all growers need to know the signs of a pest.
It is difficult to discern an insect in the larval stage, but it is difficult not to notice an adult. The main thing is to regularly inspect domestic flowers, spreading the leaves, because the scabbard can be on any part of the plant. The pest carapace is like a brown flake. Separating the insect from the plant is not easy, but the shield itself is easily removed from the insect.
The fall liquid secreted by the female scale insect forms a shiny sticky coating. In advanced cases, the pad will drain from the leaves, forming a puddle near the pot. In addition, the infected plant will have signs of wilting - yellowed leaves, lack of flowering, stunting.
We have figured out how to recognize a pest, now we will look at methods for getting rid of scale insects on indoor plants.
General rules for the fight against scale insects
The success of pest control measures depends on what stage of development you discovered the insect in. Of course, the sooner the better. In the stage of the larva, a magnifier will help to detect the insect. If this stage has been overlooked and a colony of adult individuals has already settled on the plant, you need to act immediately.
The first thing to do is to place the infected plants in a room where there are no other flowers. Next, remove the scab from indoor plants. How to deal with a pest mechanically, we describe in stages:
- Pour ground soap into warm water (1:10).
- Leave for 20 minutes to insist.
- Stir the solution and strain using cheesecloth.
- With the resulting infusion, wipe the plant, removing insects, using a cotton swab or soft tissue. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush if the leaves are not very soft.
- Leave on for 30 minutes for exposure.
- Wash off the soap solution by arranging a warm shower for the plant.
There is another recipe using soap suds. It is applied densely on the leaves and stem of the plant and left for some time. Then washed with hot water in the shower. Water temperature - not more than 50 ° C. Such a procedure is carried out once a week. In advanced cases, the use of special drugs is indispensable.
Chemicals
If you decide to resort to the help of ready-made drugs, then first try the more gentle. As a remedy for scale insects on indoor plants, veterinary preparations for fleas are used. They are not so toxic. Suitable, for example, are: Butox, Neostomozan, Entomozan. An infected plant is sprayed with these drugs. To prepare a solution, you need to dilute one ampoule of the drug in 1.5 liters of water.
Insecticides are potent drugs against various pests. They must be treated with caution, observing the dosage and safety measures. If the product will be applied using a spray gun (spray), it is recommended to do the treatment on the street or on the balcony with the use of protective equipment (rubber gloves, safety glasses, respirator). We offer a list of popular drugs with the most positive reviews:
- "Fitoverm" is a preparation of biological origin, non-toxic to humans and animals. To achieve the result, at least 3 sprayings with an interval of 1 week will be required. To prepare a solution, 2 ml of the substance is diluted in 2 l of water.
- Aktara is a popular and effective insecticide. It is used both for spraying and for watering. Available in various forms: granules and suspension. A solution for spraying is prepared from 1 g of the drug and 1.25 liters of warm water. For irrigation, the concentration will be slightly higher - 1 g per 0.8 l of water. A single treatment is likely to be insufficient. Spend the second 10-12 days after the first. The drug does not require rinsing.
- "Confidor" is a systemic insecticide, has a long period of action. Available in granules and in liquid form. For spraying, 1 g of the drug is dissolved in 0.5 l of water. But for irrigation, the concentration is halved.
In addition to the listed drugs for disposal of scale insects use: "Actellik", "Mospilan", "Bankol", "Tanrek", "Fufanon", "Karbofos" and others. Acquiring these funds is not difficult, but keep in mind that fakes are on sale. Therefore, it is better to buy insecticides in specialized stores.
How to deal with scale insides with the help of chemicals, we figured out. And for supporters of ecological floriculture, we offer alternative pest control products.
Folk remedies
Home remedies are recommended to be used when scabies on indoor plants are few or for prevention. Proven folk recipes:
- Processing infusion of garlic gives good results. You need to take 4-5 cloves, grind and pour 250 ml of water. Leave for several hours to insist in a dark place. Filtered infusion process plants, after removing insects. It will take 3-4 procedures.
- Onion infusion is prepared as described above. For 250 ml of water, take 1 small onion.
- To prepare hot pepper infusion, 50 g of fresh pod is boiled in 0.5 l of water for 5 minutes. Then a little water is added so that the volume becomes 0.5 l again. Leave to insist for a day. Filtered infusion is sprayed with plants.
Folk remedies are good in that they are not toxic to humans and effective, especially with small amounts of the pest. But even they can cause burns on the leaves of some plants. To avoid this, do a test treatment on a small area before use to make sure that the product does not harm the indoor flower.
Preventive measures
In order not to puzzle over where the scabbard on indoor plants came from, and how to deal with it, follow simple rules:
- Purchase soil, pots, and seeds at specialized stores. So the chances of bringing the shield into the apartment will be minimal.
- Be sure to quarantine purchased or donated plants, as well as those brought from the street. The term of "isolation" is 1 week.
- Once a month, treat the plants with a mild soapy solution.
- Inspect the flowers regularly and remove dry, damaged parts.
- Proper care will save you from many problems with your home greenhouse.
Home gardening is not just a pleasant hobby. Caring for plants and observing their growth and flowering, many feel like real creators. And so that your flowers are always healthy, provide them with proper care and take timely measures if pests are wound on them.