The joy of flowering and active growth of your houseplant can darken the appearance of various kinds of pests, including mealybugs. Flower growers always carefully monitor the condition of their room “pets”, and therefore they are interested in one question: how to get a mealybug in case of its detection?
In this article we will talk about the poison for this pest, who will save it from indoor plants. But we want to remind you that at the very beginning of the reproduction of a pest you can resort to the help of folk remedies that do not have such powerful destructive properties, but at the same time they have fewer side effects.
Pest description
In the people it is also called "shaggy lice" because of the appearance. They belong to the order of sucking insects. They are very difficult not to notice even with the naked eye. These sucking reach a length of up to 8 millimeters. The body of the female cheeks is not fully developed, has an oval shape. But the males are already more similar to the insects we are accustomed to: their body is not divided into sections, the limbs are well expressed.
In adulthood, males do not eat, because their oral apparatus atrophies with time. But females and even larvae can easily make holes in the leaves and buds, and then suck the juice out of them. This "function" of the mealybug is the main danger for a healthy plant.
After a pest leaves a sticky layer on the surface of the plant.
One of the difficulties of combating shaggy lice is that they move easily from one plant to another. Details on what a mealybug is and how to deal with it are described in this article.
Causes of
The main reasons are:
- The presence of larvae or eggs in the ground. And it may even be a substrate from the store. Therefore, it is important to disinfect the soil before planting. To do this, place the soil in the microwave for a few minutes or place it in the freezer overnight.
- Moving mealybug from new plant. To prevent this from happening, always send the newly arrived plant to quarantine in a separate room and watch its condition for about a month.
- Improper care:
- cold room;
- watering with untreated water or water of the wrong temperature (it is bad for both too warm and too cold);
- poor room ventilation;
- too active introduction of nutritional complexes.
IMPORTANT! Improper care significantly reduces the immunity of the plant, so it can provoke any disease.
- Non-compliance with hygiene standards: dried leaves are not removed in time, leaf plates are not wiped from dust.
- Infrequent soil loosening: stale soil is an ideal environment for various pests.
Popular preparations for indoor plants
"Akarin" (old name - "Agravertin")
Considered a drug of biological kind. This tool enters the organs of digestion of mealybugs and poison them. Already after eight hours, shaggy lice lose their ability to consume food and die 24 hours after treatment.
How to apply? To prepare the solution, one liter of purified water is taken, two drops of “Akarina” are added to it (5 can also be used, then the concentration will be higher). Sheet plates are wiped from two sides with a cloth moistened with the composition.
It is allowed to apply twice per season, but maintaining an interval of 15-20 days.
Benefits:
- not addictive;
- harmless to earthworm birds;
- can be combined with insecticides and pesticides.
Disadvantages: bees can get poisoned with this solution.
Price: 13-20 rubles.
Aktara
Acts about the same as the previous drug: enters the digestive system of pests and atrophies all organs. But it works faster - after half an hour.
How to apply? It is possible to spray the affected plants (at the same time the protective barrier will remain up to four weeks). For spraying in ten liters of water, 1-2 grams of Aktar are poured. For irrigation (in this case, the protection will last up to 60 days), 8 grams of the drug is taken for the same amount of water.
Benefits:
- has high rates of efficiency;
- can be used in conjunction with pesticides;
- non-toxic to earthworms and birds.
Disadvantages:
- is addictive in worms;
- It is dangerous for bees.
Price: 25-30 rubles.
"Actellic"
This drug is chosen in extreme measures when shaggy lice take nothing.
How to apply? Ampoule (its volume is two milliliters) diluted in one liter of water. Spray the obtained solution to the plant. The result is expected three days after the procedure.. Repeat processing can be no more than two or three times. After that, the plant should rest for two to three weeks.
Benefits: drug of strong action.
Disadvantages: “Actellic” is a chemical agent, therefore it can only be processed outdoors. But even with this condition it is forbidden to use the tool for pregnant women and people with asthma.
Price: 6-10 rubles.
"Bankol"
This drug paralyzes not only the digestive system, which is why the insects cannot feed, but also the central nervous system, after which the pests stop moving. After a couple of days, "lice" die.
How to apply? Place 1 gram of the product in two liters of water and spray the plant with the composition. Such treatments will need to spend two, maintaining an interval between them in 10-15 days.
Benefits:
- high performance indicators;
- no caustic smell and negative effect on the mucous membrane of the eyes;
- it is not washed away by precipitation if it began two hours after treatment;
- it is well dissolved in water.
Disadvantages: drug toxicity is present, albeit at a low level.
Price: 10-12 rubles.
"Vertimek"
The drug is of natural origin. It affects the central nervous system of parasites and paralyzes them. Death occurs within three days after treatment.
How to apply? Dilute product according to package instructions. Spray the affected plant with it, and then cover it with plastic wrap and leave in this state for 24 hours.
Benefits:
- actively fights parasites even in hard-to-reach places;
- destroys pests for the minimum number of applications;
- leaves no residue on the surface of the leaf plates.
Disadvantages: high toxicity to humans (in the scientific community - 2nd class).
Price: for a bottle of 250 ml will have to pay about 2000 rubles.
"Inta-vir"
The tool acts on insects by paralyzing them, causing cramps and cramps throughout the body. After these actions, "shaggy lice" death occurs.
How to apply? One tablet is dissolved in 5-10 liters of pure water (the volume of liquid depends on the desired concentration). You can spray the affected plants for their salvation and healthy for the prevention of attack of pests. It is important to use the prepared solution immediately.. After the mixture has stood, it will be unsuitable for use. The procedure can be repeated no more than three times and with an interval of two weeks.
Benefits: drug of high concentration and quick action.
Disadvantages: toxic to humans.
Price: A bag with 8 grams of the drug costs 10 rubles.
"Malathion"
How to apply? The drug is sold in various forms: concentrated emulsion, powder, concentrates in ampoules, finished diluted drug. Divorced means immediately need to apply. The resulting emulsion sprayed plants.
Benefits: the active chemical disintegrates within ten days.
Disadvantages:
- acrid chemical smell;
- high concentration of chemicals.
Price: the cost of the product depends on its volume:
- 30 grams of powder - about 40 rubles;
- 60 grams of powder - 60 rubles;
- 1000 ml of emulsion - about 150 rubles;
- Ampoules packing - about 30 rubles.
"Confidor extra"
Acts on parasites in two ways:
- Destroys them, falling on the skin of mealybugs.
- The others are destroyed when they eat poisoned leaves and flowers.
How to apply? One package, the weight of which is one gram, is diluted in 10 liters of water. (This solution is enough to spray a huge number of plants, so try to proportionally reduce the amount of the drug and the volume of liquid). You will see the full result after 48 hours.
Benefits:
- not only actively fighting pests, but also restores damaged plants;
- first results will be noticeable after a couple of hours;
- destroys even the smallest insects that are difficult to see with the naked eye.
Disadvantages: chemical composition of the drug.
Price: 35-40 rubles.
"Tanrek"
This drug is aimed at combating aphids and whitefly. But to destroy the mealybug, the concentration of the drug is rather weak, therefore for complete destruction of the pest will have to use "Tanrek" several times.
How to apply? It is necessary to dilute 0.3-1 ml of the drug in one liter of water and spray the affected plants with a solution.
Benefits:
- suitable for controlling many pests;
- without smell;
- can be used at any temperature.
Disadvantages: poorly fights mealybug
Price: from 55-60 rubles.
"Fitoverm"
One of the few drugs of a biological nature.
How to apply? Dissolve two milliliters of the drug in 500 ml of water. It is undesirable to spray in the daytime, since the active substances are decomposed into light. For the complete destruction of mealybugs 3-4 treatments are needed.
Benefits:
- not addictive;
- a day completely decomposes in the soil;
- non-toxic.
Disadvantages:
- the need for several procedures to obtain a full result;
- It is undesirable to combine with other insecticides.
Price: from 10 rubles.
For more information on how to deal with mealybugs on houseplants, as well as the reasons for its occurrence and prevention, you will find in a separate material.
Prevention of insect development
In order to avoid poisoning yourself and plants with chemicals in the future, it is better to prevent the development of harmful insects. To do this:
inspect the plant regularly;- time to transplant flowers, update the ground in pots;
- follow all the recommendations for the care of each particular flower;
- timely remove dried parts of the plant;
- disinfect the soil before planting;
- new colors arrange quarantine.
inspect the plant regularly;We all want our home to be a lot of greenery, and that this greens be healthy and blooming. But for this you need to make an effort. How to deal with one of the types of pests, today we told in detail (what other types of worms are there and how to fight them?). This information should assist you in properly caring for the plant. And for the conscientious care of the plants, we are sure to be thanked with clean air in the house.
