Ways to get rid of scale insects on dracene: chemical insecticides and folk tricks

Scale shield on dracaena is an unpleasant phenomenon that every grower can still encounter. This is a small pest that harms the decorative foliage plant, is very resistant to adverse conditions and the effects of toxic substances. To destroy the insect, you will have to be patient, but if everything is done correctly, soon the dracaena will again begin to please the eye with green foliage and health.

What is this pest?

Scabies is a family of insects belonging to Worms. They are known as pests of wild and cultivated plants, including indoor ones. And often they love a juicy dracaena.

Females and males of scale insects are very different from each other - both in morphological structure and lifestyle. Females are wingless, have a round or oval shape and a dense wax protective shield, usually brown. Females reach an average diameter of 5 mm. Almost all their lives (up to 3-4 months) they live in one place, sticking to the plant. Males look like small midges, and their life expectancy does not exceed several days.
Female scale insects lay eggs "for themselves", covering them with carapace. Later, larvae appear that creep along the plant. Soon they are fixed in the chosen place and, actively eating juices, female individuals begin to grow with a shield. It represents the parts of the skins remaining after the links.

Damage and signs of infection

The scabbard sucks juices from the stem and leaves of dracaena, in which nutrients, micro and macro elements are dissolved. Therefore, the plant ceases to receive them in sufficient quantities. This immediately affects the appearance of the dracaena: first, the tips and edges of its leaves dry out, and then the leaves die off completely. In advanced cases, the plant may die completely if measures are not taken.

Pests themselves can be easily seen on the leaves and stem of dracaena. With poor eyesight, it is recommended to look at the plant with glasses or armed with a magnifying magnifier. Insects also secrete a sticky liquid - an excellent habitat for sooty fungus, which will bring additional problems.

The scabbard gets into the house with new plants, less often - its larvae are blown onto the balcony or into the open window.

Fighting the scale shield on the dracaena

To achieve the desired result - the complete destruction of the scale on the dracaena - is easier if you use an integrated approach. First of all, it is necessary to deal with the mechanical removal of females and larvae from the leaves and trunk of the plant. To do this, you can use a brush, for example, a toothbrush.

To facilitate the work, it is recommended to pre-treat the shield with kerosene or alcohol. Ordinary vodka will do. The liquid is applied to a cotton swab, and then they rub the affected areas of dracaena.

One of the popular ways to destroy the parasite is advised to repeat the procedure of rubbing vodka twice a week for a month.

But it will not be enough to remove the shields from dracaena: this will not give confidence that the plant will become completely healthy.Even if for some time the parasite disappears from sight, then after 2–4 weeks it will most likely appear on the dracaena again. Therefore, you need to treat it with an insecticide or an odorous remedy based on plant ingredients.

All damaged leaves need to be cut off. No matter how sorry they are, it will not be possible to restore the greens. It remains to wait for the dracaena to come to its senses and grow new “feathers”.

Insecticides

Many insecticides of chemical origin are effective against scale insects. To ensure complete destruction of the pest, dracaena is treated several times with an interval of 7-12 days. During this time, new individuals may appear from the larvae.

Dracaena with scabies for the entire treatment should be set as far as possible from the rest of the indoor plants!

3 ways to combat the scale shield, proven by practice:

1. Using a solution of "Actara" (1 g per 1 liter of water) or "Inta-Ts-M" (1 tablet per 1 liter of water). After removing the guards from the dracaena, it is sprayed from a hand-held spray gun or thoroughly wiped all leaves and trunks with a moistened toothbrush.
2. Spray the plant with Fufanon solution and cover with a plastic bag. In this form, the dracaena is left for a couple of days. During this time, the liquid will completely dry. The advantage of using Fufanon is that, according to the reviews of flower growers, one treatment may be enough.
3. Spraying with Actellicum (about 1.5 mg per 1 liter of water).

The danger lies in the soil, where the larvae of the scale insects can fall. To destroy them, you can spill the soil with an insecticide (Aktara or Aktellik), and when using Fufanon, simply replace the topsoil with a new one.

Folk remedies

For the treatment of scale insects on dracaena, flower growers use some folk remedies. They are weaker than chemicals, but also able to drive out the parasite that has appeared. For example, burning and odorous infusions or decoctions are effective:

1. Garlic (5 minced cloves per glass of water). Insist during the night (or 8-12 hours).
2. Onions (1 medium onion per glass of water). The same manufacturing method.
3. Hot pepper (50 g per 500 ml of water). It is boiled in water for about half an hour, after which the broth is stored in the refrigerator, using as needed. Before use, pepper liquid is diluted with 10 ml per 1 liter of water.

With such infusions and decoctions, the plant is either sprayed or wiped. A greater number of procedures will be required than with the use of chemicals 4-6, carried out at weekly intervals.

Dracene needs to be inspected regularly - such a precaution will make it possible to notice in time not only the scale insect, but also other dangerous pests and diseases. If a parasite is found, measures should be taken immediately until it has caused significant damage.