Scabbard on indoor plants: what it looks like in the photo, how to get rid of folk remedies, how to deal with drugs, and methods of struggle, treatment, prevention

Signs and symptoms of plant infestation

Citrus scale

All types of pests (larvae and adults) feed on plant juices, sucking them out with the help of a long proboscis. The pest attacks stems, branches, trunks, roots, leaves, fruits. On these parts, the insect forms numerous colonies resembling growths.

At the puncture site, yellow spots appear, which increase in size, the leaves lose their green color, curl and fall off. The plant stops growing, branches and stems bend and become bare, the bark cracks. Then everything starts to dry out.

Fruits become smaller, sugar content decreases and acidity increases. Deterioration of the palatability leads to decay, starting at the sites of damage. Such a crop cannot be stored.

With a strong infection, not only herbaceous plants and bushes die, but also young trees. In winter, plants weakened by a pest do not tolerate frost well.

Insects secrete and leave on the leaves and shoots a sugary substance - honeydew. The leaves become shiny and sticky. Later, a sooty fungus settles on these secretions, forming a gray or black bloom.

Folk remedies against the scabbard

To carry out the mechanical treatment of indoor plants, it is permissible to use substances other than soap. These pests are afraid of alcohol, kerosene, etc. If there are not many pests, you can speed up the treatment process by equipping yourself with a toothbrush. With its help, it is possible to cope with such parasites much faster. Folk recipes help to fight not only with the scabbard, but also with other, no less dangerous insects.

Effective formulations include:

Soap and alcohol based solution. To do this, mix 15 ml of liquid soap and 10 ml of alcohol by pouring this mixture into 1 liter of hot water. After that, the solution must be thoroughly stirred until foam appears. Before applying the composition, it is better to first try it on separate leaves to determine how the plant will react to this solution. If after half an hour the flower has not reacted to this composition, then it can be safely applied to the entire plant.
Soap and machine oil based solution. To do this, take 10 ml of liquid soap and machine oil (30 grams) and beat the mixture until foam appears. Before the treatment process, it is advisable to close the soil in the pot so that the solution does not get on the root system. The solution is applied to the affected plant and kept for up to 12 hours, after which it is thoroughly washed under cold running water. After a week, the processing procedure should be repeated. For the complete destruction of the pest, 3 treatments are enough.
A solution based on washing powder and burdock oil. To do this, you need to take 10 grams of washing powder and burdock oil, and then stir them in 1 liter of water. After that, the solution is left for 4 hours to infuse. The solution is used for regular cleaning of indoor plants. To prevent scabbards from appearing on flowers, it is enough to carry out the processing procedure once a month.
Solutions based on tar soap or wood ash. For 1 liter of water, it is enough to take about 10 grams of soap. A solution based on wood ash is made as follows: 300 grams of ash are taken and placed in 1 liter of boiling water, after which the solution must be boiled for another half hour. Before using the wood ash solution, it should be diluted with 10 liters of water. Leaves and stems are sprayed or wiped with this solution, but the soil will have to be protected by covering it with plastic wrap.

Means that include several components are considered no less effective. For example:

The onion gruel is first applied to the plant, mainly on those areas where the accumulation of pests is noted, after which it is mechanically removed. Then all that remains is to treat the houseplant with soapy water.
Take 25 grams of green soap and 100 grams of tar soap. These substances are dissolved in 1 liter of water, after which 5 drops of kerosene are added to the solution. The composition should be poured into a spray bottle and all plants are processed with it. After that, the treated plants are washed after some time under running water.

The use of chemical control agents

If the scabbard managed to get over all the plants in the house, then it will not be possible to limit itself to folk methods of struggle. It's time to use chemicals like insecticides here. They are highly effective and will be able to cope with parasites in a short time.

To combat the scabbard, you can offer the following tools:

Aktar.
Metaphos.
Fitoverm.
Permethrin

It is better to work with chemicals outdoors, alternatively, a balcony is suitable. To begin with, you should mechanically remove pests, treat the plant with soapy water, rinse it well under running water, and then treat it with a chemical composition. After that, the flower is placed in a plastic bag and left for half an hour. Then the bag is removed and the flower is washed under running water. If you do this more than once, then you will be able to say goodbye to such pests once and for all. So that the scabbard eggs do not remain in the pot, it is better to replace the top layer of soil.

How to deal with a scale insect on indoor plants

Mechanical cleaning of plants from scale insects

Whichever means you decide to fight with scabbards, you first need to remove adult females from the plant, and this must be done manually: the wax cover reliably protects the females from any means of destruction. On the larvae of scale insects, which are similar to an adult, but do not have a protective cover, the poisons act, but on the female imago they do not. The scabbards are removed with a cotton pad soaked in a strong soapy solution, and they are removed from hard-to-reach places with a cotton swab, which must also be moistened with soapy water or alcohol. After that, the plant is washed with soap in the shower, having previously covered the substrate in the pot with plastic wrap so that soapy water and scabbards do not get into it. It is preferable to use tar, household or liquid soap. Leave the soap on the plant for half an hour, then rinse it off with running water.

Folk methods of dealing with scale insects

If you find pests at the very beginning of their settlement, you have a chance to complete the fight against them at the very first stage: you will remove the adults by hand and wash the eggs and larvae with soapy water. There are several other remedies that can be used to destroy scabbards without resorting to chemical poisons:

Stir 15 g of machine oil and 10 g of liquid soap in a glass of water and apply the composition to the plant, covering the potted substrate with polyethylene. Then place the plant under a clear bag for 6-10 hours. This method is not suitable for plants with pubescent or thin leaves;
Pour 5 chopped cloves of garlic with a glass of water, let it brew for 1-2 days and then treat the flower with this composition: spray on all sides or wipe with a cotton swab soaked in garlic infusion;
Chop 2-3 medium-sized onions, pour a glass of water and leave for 3 hours, then apply to treat plants from scale insects;
Chop 50 g of fresh bitter capsicum and pour 500 ml of water for a day. The product is well stored in the refrigerator, but it can be used no more than 1 time in 2 weeks;
80 g of makhorka or tobacco, pour 1 liter of water, leave for a day, then apply for spraying;
in 1 liter of water, add 40 g of grated soap and 5 drops of kerosene, mix well and use for processing plants on the leaves.

The number of treatments depends on the number of pests and the condition of the plant. The interval between spraying is usually done no more than 7-10 days.After processing the plant, it is imperative to disinfect the pot and the windowsill or shelf on which the flower infected with scabies is placed.

Chemical protection against scabbards

After removing adult scale insects by hand and washing the flower under the shower, you need to wait until it dries, and only after that you can start treating it with an insecticide solution. Since almost all chemicals are toxic to humans and pets, it is best to spray outdoors with gloves, goggles, a mask, and a full body and head covered in clothing.

The preparations Fitoverm and Aktara have shown effectiveness in the fight against scabies: they are not only effective, but also versatile and easy to use. But if their action is not enough, they resort to more toxic means: Confidor, Aktellik, Karbofos, Vermitek, Inta-Viru or Tanreku.

to process plants at a temperature of 22-24 ºC;
prepare the solution in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations;
after processing, immediately place the plant for a day or three under a transparent plastic bag;
if a plant infected with scale insects was next to other flowers, it makes sense to process all flowers, even if you have not yet found pests on them;
a single treatment rarely gives a stable result, so read the instructions carefully and tune in to re-spraying the plant after the recommended period of time;
if the drug does not give the expected result, apply a stronger insecticide. Keep in mind that the scale insect quickly develops addiction to drugs, so when treating, alternate insecticides with different active ingredients.

What does a scabbard look like on indoor plants

The scale insect is a parasitic mite belonging to the family of Homoptera. Lives off the fact that it feeds on the juice of green spaces. The size of the pests varies from 0.5 to 5 mm, depending on which species they belong to. If small tubercles have appeared on the leaves, then, most likely, a scabbard has appeared on them.

Leaves affected by the scabula are covered with unpresentable tubercles.

Important! The scabbard is covered with a durable carapace, which makes it difficult to fight it. There are differences between females and males

Females have a more powerful and rounded shell, often lacking wings, legs and eyes. They are absolutely motionless. Males have well-developed wings and legs. The shell is slightly weaker than that of females, oblong in shape. Underdeveloped mouth. Males have a very short lifespan, die immediately after mating

There are differences between females and males. Females have a more powerful and rounded shell, often lacking wings, legs and eyes. They are absolutely motionless. Males have well-developed wings and legs. The shell is slightly weaker than that of females, oblong in shape. Underdeveloped mouth. Males have a very short lifespan, they die immediately after mating.

During reproduction, females lay eggs on the leaves, from which larvae appear over time. They are active for a short time, for several days, and then strengthen on the stems and leaves.

What harm does the shield do to indoor flowers

The appearance of scale insects on indoor plants is really destructive for them. There are cases when pests have destroyed a fruit tree in 3 - 4 years. And this is not an exaggeration. In practice, when a scale insect is found in the garden, a quarantine is declared.

Leaves infected with the scabbard first turn yellow, then dry out completely.

Important! The appearance of the scale insect first of all leads to the appearance of a fungus, which spreads rather quickly on the stems, leaves and roots. The insects themselves, feeding on the sap of the plant, weaken it

If you do not take measures to combat the scabbard in time, the plant will die, completely dry out.

Signs of damage with a scabbard

You can understand that indoor flowers in a house are affected by a scabbard by several signs:

The appearance of plaques on leaves and stems. These are small raised spots, the shade of which varies from light yellow to brown.
The formation of a sticky coating. At an early stage of infection, droplets with a transparent and sticky structure are observed. And over time, plaque forms on the entire surface.
The plant stops growing. Leaves turn yellow, dry up and fall off.

Signs of damage with a scabbard on a plant

Very often, a fungus forms at the places of settlement of the scale insect. All this contributes to the clogging of pores, disruption of photosynthesis. If the plant is not helped, it will dry out completely.

False shield on indoor plants

In addition to the scale insect, there is a similar insect, the false scale insect. They may look the same and beginner growers often confuse them.

But there are several signs by which you can easily distinguish pests from each other.

If a false shield has settled on the plant, then there is no sticky liquid and plaque on it. The carapace is not firmly attached to the insect's body. Therefore, if you take up the flap, it will immediately detach from the calf. Differs in carapace and shape. In scale insects, it is rounded, like a pea, in false scales, it is flatter.

Fighting the shield with folk methods

You need to act immediately if a scabbard is found on indoor plants. Our ancestors, who prefer to use folk methods for this purpose, knew how to deal with this problem. These are the following:

Regular rubbing of the stem and branches using cotton wool dipped in a solution with vodka. It is recommended to repeat the procedure every three days.
Removal of pests with a soft toothbrush, followed by lubrication of damaged areas with onion gruel.
Washing the plant with a solution of soap or treatment with a mixture of kerosene and soap. To obtain an effective active ingredient, it is necessary to dilute green (25 g) or laundry (40 g) soap in water taken in a volume of 1 liter. A small amount of kerosene (no more than 5 drops) should be added to the resulting mixture, and the contents should be shaken thoroughly. The finished substance can be used both for spraying the affected areas on the plant, and for wiping branches and leaves.
Using a soap-oil emulsion, for the preparation of which it is necessary to mix soap or powder in an amount of 5-10 g with water in a volume of 1 cup. After that, add machine oil (at least 20 and not more than 30 g) to the container and mix the contents thoroughly. The resulting product is recommended to be used for spraying plants.

It is important that the substance does not fall on the ground during the procedure. After 12 hours, the substance should be washed off using cold water.

Washing the plant with garlic infusion. To prepare the active ingredient, you need to pour chopped garlic in the amount of five cloves with 1 glass of liquid and insist for three hours in a dark place. The resulting product is recommended to lubricate the affected areas on plants.
Using onion infusion. One small onion must be chopped to a gruel state and filled with water in the volume of one glass. After insisting for 2-3 hours, the product will be ready to lubricate the affected areas of the plant.
Using pepper infusion, for the preparation of which fresh hot pepper in the amount of 50 g must be crushed and boiled in 500 ml of liquid. After insisting for a day and filtering with the resulting substance, the plants should be treated. Pepper tincture can be made in large quantities, because when stored in the refrigerator, all its useful properties are preserved.
Treatment of plants with alcoholic tincture. To prepare the substance, you must use liquid soap (15 g), denatured alcohol (10 ml) and warm water (1 l).The resulting substance is quite effective, but not recommended for use on plants with soft and thin leaves. To determine the sensitivity of the plant to alcohol, you should first process only one leaf and observe the reaction.

Prevention measures

Disease is better prevented than cured

Therefore, flower growers should pay attention to the timeliness of preventive measures from the scale insect. They consist of five steps:

The introduction of quarantine. This applies to newly acquired plants. They are initially placed in a separate room and prophylactically sprayed with insecticides and fungicides.
Conducting systematic monthly treatments with soapy water.
Regular pruning of plants. As soon as yellowed and wilted leaves appear, they must be removed. In no case should you leave fallen leaves in the pot - they must be removed.

The best protection of indoor flowers from scale insects preventive measures

Carrying out disinfection measures in the form of treating the plant with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Providing proper care for indoor flowers. Eliminate overcrowding of flowering plants on the windowsill, adherence to temperature and humidity levels will help minimize the likelihood of scabies.

These insects love heat and stuffy rooms. Therefore, you need to try to systematically ventilate the room, but not create drafts. And in the summertime, bring flowers to the balcony, providing fresh air. This process is called the hardening of the specimens by flower growers.

As you can see, it is difficult to get rid of the scale insect during mass infection. Therefore, it is necessary to take all measures to prevent the occurrence of pests. If the plants are carefully inspected, and regular treatments are carried out, then your favorite flowers will not be threatened with infection. They will be able to delight with their beauty for a long time.

Folk ways

So, we cleaned the plant from pests with a toothbrush, washed it with soapy water and dried it well. Now we consider further how to deal with the scabbard on indoor plants with available means:

A garlic solution gives a good result. To do this, pour 5 crushed cloves with a glass of water and insist in a dark place. After that, strain through cheesecloth and spray the plant with the solution. You need to carry out a number of treatments to get a good result.

Pepper infusion. Its advantage is also that the solution can be prepared for future use. To do this, boil 50 g of pepper for 5 minutes in 500 g of water. Let stand for 24 hours - and the infusion is ready.
Celandine. Almost all pests cannot tolerate it. You will need to pour 300 g of dry herb celandine with a liter of boiling water. Insist for a day, then spray the diseased plant.
Oil film. Insects are living creatures that require air. To block its access, you can lubricate the affected areas with sunflower oil using a brush. The procedure is repeated every day until the insects disappear completely.

The effectiveness of folk remedies is quite difficult to assess. They are safe for humans, which is a big plus. But often growers are faced with the fact that the result is temporary, and comparable to the manual collection of pests. After a few days, the larva hatches, and the surviving individuals lay new eggs. And now a new generation of pests is destroying your flowers. Of course, on the scale of the garden, it is more difficult to deal with them. But if you have 3 - 5 pots at home, then you can check every leaf every day and not give the pest a single chance.

Plant processing rules

Having found even one scale on the plant, it is isolated. They are checking the rest, it is possible that pests have also settled on them. The earlier parasites are identified, the easier it is to fight them.The larvae are destroyed by all available means, and the adults, thanks to the shield, are insensitive to folk remedies, insecticides will be required.

It is easier to remove scale insects from plants with large flat leaves. They should be examined regularly, and adults and larvae should be manually removed. It is easy to wash such plants, but if the leaves are small, difficulties arise. One manual scrubbing will help, but the scabbards are completely removed with insecticides.

Orchids

The first mandatory measure after the detection of scale insects is the isolation of the plant. If there are no chemicals, folk remedies are not prepared, simple urgent measures are taken. The orchid is placed under the tap, washed with a gentle stream of warm water, then treated with soapy water. Plants can be moistened by frequently spraying them with warm water.

Another way is more effective. The orchid, along with the pot, is covered with a plastic bag. Conditions with high humidity are formed, which the larvae cannot tolerate and die. So that the flower does not disappear, every day the bag is removed for half an hour for airing. Pest control measures are complemented by the use of insecticides. The plant and soil are treated with solutions.

Velcro for flies and mosquitoes is installed next to the quarantined orchid. Scabbards can move to other plants, clinging to an insect.

Lemon

It is better to refrain from using insecticides on lemon. Citrus growers consider a soap solution with 5 drops of kerosene per 1 liter of water to be the best remedy. A film of soap blocks the air access for the scale insects, kerosene, getting on the body of pests, acts like a poison. The solution is completely treated with citrus, after 3 hours, washed off with water.

To make the plant recover from stress faster, it is fed with the Epin biostimulator. The drug for treatment is applied by spraying.

Ficus

Scabbards are removed from plants by hand. They use a sponge dipped in a soap and kerosene solution. Scrape off the branches with a knife. Shoots, leaves of Benjamin ficus and other species affected by the scabbard are removed. At the same time, chemicals are used 3–6 times with breaks a week.

Other plants

Treatment of plants against scale insects gives a result if complex measures are applied. Begin by rinsing with warm water, soapy water. If the size of the plants allows, arrange a mini-greenhouse, covering the plant with a plastic bag. Manual processing is carried out by removing the scabbards.

Only chemical treatment will bring temporary results. The larvae die, and many adult scale insects, covered with a shell, survive. New larvae soon emerge from the eggs.

How to get rid of scale insects on indoor plants

It is possible to rid indoor plants of insects only if a clear algorithm of actions is followed:

To begin with, you need to find the center of the spread of parasites - the plant on which the largest accumulation of insects is located.
After finding such a plant, it must be "relocated" to a separate room or room and make sure that there are no other plants nearby. The place where the affected plant previously lived must be thoroughly wiped with soapy water, and also treated with chemicals.
Insects from the plant should be removed only with your hands, helping yourself with a cotton swab. To do this, moisten it with an insecticide and remove all scale insect parasites and their eggs. It is never recommended to use gasoline or kerosene for these needs - this can cause a burn in the plant.
Scabbards still capable of movement, perhaps, will hide from stripping. Therefore, after that, the plants should be washed using soapy water or tobacco dust. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that you need not just wipe the leaves, but completely treat the plant with a brush dipped in the product.
After a day, this solution is washed off with warm running water.
After the flower dries, it, as well as the soil and pot, should be treated with chemicals.After that, cover the plant with material that does not allow air to pass through for an interval of no more than an hour.
After completing this algorithm, the scale insects will die in a few days. After that, the flower must be thoroughly rinsed again.
This procedure should be repeated several times until all the shields disappear.

Description and biological features of the scale insect

Starting acquaintance with the scale insect, it should be said that it is a family of Pseudococcids. Novice growers can easily mistake it for a false shield. Therefore, the task of recognizing this pest seems to be more difficult for them. You can understand who is who by the presence of a removable shell, which is necessarily present in the scale insect. If you try to remove the shell from the insect's body, and it will continue to sit on the surface of the leaf, then we can conclude that this is a scale insect.

With a false shield, this will not work, since for her the shield is part of the body. If you look at the insect under a microscope, you will notice that the false shield has the eyes on the shield. In an ordinary scale insect, they are bred directly to the larva.

The presence of a wax shield covering the body of the insect explains why it received such a name. This pest is rather small and has a length of about 5 mm. However, these insects can vary in size. During the laying of eggs, the females sit on them and close them until the offspring appear. Usually females live no more than 3-4 months. Males show increased mobility, some are able to fly. However, their life span is short and is no more than two to three days.

When larvae emerge from the eggs, they begin to move throughout the plant until they can gain a foothold on it. From that moment on, they do not change their location, remaining in this state until they form a waxy shell.

Regardless of age, each of these individuals causes significant harm to plants throughout the year. For them, their food is the sap of plants. Moreover, even plants that are poisonous to humans can take a fancy to the scale insects. You can notice signs of plant damage by a pest by how young shoots begin to dry out. Subsequently, the formation of new ones stops, the leaves and stems turn yellow, which ends with their falling off. If you miss this moment and do not take timely measures, then you can lose the plant.

In most cases, scale insects are found on horticultural crops. Although they can appear on indoor plants, however, this happens much less often. But in any case, the plants suffer greatly from them, which may result in their complete death. Among all the plants that most often suffer from scale insects, citrus, palm and bromellow should be highlighted.

Scale development cycle

Scabbards have a pronounced life cycle. But tropical scale insects and pests of temperate latitudes have differences. They are associated with climatic conditions.

In nature, it looks like this: after mating, the female bears eggs for three months and feeds on plant sap. Three months after fertilization, she lays many eggs, according to various sources, from 250 to 500 pieces, after which she dies.

Scabbards living in temperate climates, for example, the apple comma-shaped scabbard, have the following developmental stages:

egg >> first instar larvae (vagrant) >> second instar larvae >> males and females >> egg

Females have an elongated and wide-rounded end of the shield - under it is the entire clutch of fertilized eggs, the body of the female herself simply dries up, freeing the house for the children. Winters are harsh and all egg-laying is kept under the flap. By the end of May, when the average daily temperature is about + 8C, tramps hatch from the eggs and begin to actively populate plants, mainly young, slightly lignified branches, young shoots.The developmental cycle from a vagrant to a sexually mature female is on average three months. Then mating takes place. The number of males in the population is approximately 20-35%. After fertilization, the males die. Oviposition begins in August. Thus, the development cycle is approximately 1 year: 9-10 months of egg maturation, 35-60 days of the larva, 3 months of the female. In southern latitudes, these species of scale insects can manage to form two generations per year.

In tropical species, this is, for example, the Californian scale insect, slightly different stages of development:

first instar larvae (overwinter) >> female and male larva >> parthenogenesis * >> mating >> first instar larvae (vagabonds) >> larva diapause >> second instar male and female larvae >> male and female adults

The scutellum of females is usually round - they do not need a house for oviposition; females of many species of tropical scale insects lay larvae. Larvae of autumn birth overwinter in shelters (under the bark, leaf axils). In the spring, the tramps emerge from the shelter, quickly take a liking to the most juicy places and develop into the next stage of larvae, adults - males and females. By the time of mass maturation of females, the flight of males begins (it lasts for several days). There are few males, their number from the general population is no more than 8-9%. Mating occurs, after which the male dies.

* There are not so many males reflected, because the phenomenon of parthenogenesis is observed in scale insects - this is virgin reproduction, when sexually mature females grow up without fertilization (mating with males).

The cycle of development of the scabbard from the awakening of vagrants to a sexually mature female is on average a week or two. Some of the vagabonds in the middle of summer go into a state of diapause - rest. This helps the scale insects to survive adverse conditions, since in summer the tramps die from prolonged drought or heavy prolonged rains. Diapause can last from several weeks to several months. Most of the larvae turn into females. And about a month more is spent on their development. In males of some species of scale insects, the development cycle includes two additional stages: pronymphs and nymphs. Thus, the entire development cycle is approximately 60 days.

It must be said that there is no classification of scale insects by climatic types, here it is given only for clarity, in order to see the difference and diversity in the development of certain types of pests. Some scale insects, common in subtropical regions, for example, the Californian scale insect, also have an egg stage, only then the larva. Usually oviparous scutes differ in the shape and size of the shield - it is wide enough, like a Vietnamese hat, rounded or pear-shaped. In addition, in some species of scale insects, it is not eggs that hibernate, but females in a state of diapause.

The number of molts can also be different: for example, females can have two stages of larvae, males - three.

From the point of view of indoor floriculture, the danger of scale insects is that due to parthenogenesis - hatching of females without fertilization, scale insects can reproduce, all year round, giving out about 5-6 generations, the process of generational change goes on continuously. At the same time, males among indoor scale insects are extremely rare, but if they appear, for some reason they are very frightening. Someone begins to think that this is an unknown, terribly gluttonous creature. In fact, the developmental cycle of scale insects, with or without males, is no different. By themselves, males do not harm plants - they simply have nothing to eat. In fact, male scale insects hatch for the sole mission of fertilization, therefore, all they have are eyes, wings and genitals.

How to get rid of with insecticide preparations

Examine your plants carefully on a regular basis, paying particular attention to hidden areas such as the sinuses and the inside of the leaves.
Immediately isolate infected plants from the rest. Do a general cleaning of the place where he stood, and do not forget to process the pot.
Remove insects from diseased flowers

This is best done with a cotton swab dipped in an insecticide solution.
To cleanse the scabbards that may have remained after the initial treatment, carry out a second one, but this time using a soap solution or tobacco tincture. In order to remove well-attached scutes, use a toothbrush.
After you've treated the plants this way, leave them to dry in a draft-free area.

As an additional tool, treat the plants with insecticide preparations, not losing sight of the substrate. Then cover with a plastic bag, so as to exclude the ingress of air into the interior (soak 35-45 minutes).
After such a procedure, the scabbard on indoor plants should finally die, after two days, repeat the washing of the plants to wash off the dead insects and the remnants of the drug.
Repeat the treatment with insecticide preparations weekly, until the moment when you are sure that you have finally got rid of the scabbards. Usually two or three treatments are enough, in more advanced cases a little more.
After safely getting rid of the scale insects for several weeks, carefully check for new individuals on your plants.
For prevention, once a year, repeat the procedure using an insecticide in order to avoid the return of the insect pest.

Whichever method you choose to get rid of the scabbard, be prepared for the treatment to be repeated several times. Be patient, and your care of the plants will help fight all pests!

Be sure to check out the article on violet pests.

What is the scabbard?

This pest belongs to the pseudococcid family. Externally, the scabbard looks like a false shield, so it is quite difficult for novice growers to distinguish one parasite from another. The difference is revealed upon closer inspection. With a real scale insect, you can, with some effort, remove its shell. Moreover, often after removing the shell, the pest itself remains on the plant.

The scabbard carapace, which can be clearly seen in the photo, consists of wax. It covers the entire body of the insect and looks like a shield.

The parasite can grow on average up to 5 mm in length, but sometimes especially large insects are found. As a rule, these are females. Their task is to lay eggs with their subsequent protection until the appearance of the first larvae.

Females live no longer than 4 months. Males live even less - 3 days, but they have the ability to fly.

After the appearance of the larva, the scale insects begin to search for food. Their entire existence is dedicated to solving this problem. As soon as the larvae find a suitable plant, they firmly attach themselves to it and begin to absorb the sap. At the same time, their bodies are gradually covered with wax shields, which provide them with protection from external influences.

Young scale insects can deplete houseplants all year round. Moreover, they do not distinguish between ordinary and poisonous flowers. If the grower does not identify the problem in time and does not begin to fight pests, then his plants will die.

It is worth noting that scale insects attack not only indoor flowers, but can also eat garden crops.