How to get rid of scale insects on an orchid
Orchids are delicate ornamental plants that can be problematic when growing. One of them is a scale insect on an orchid.
Scale insect on orchid leaves
Description of the shield
The scale insect is an aphid that infects the leafy part of the flower. There are males and females of the parasite. Males have wings and move freely throughout the flower. Females do not move, they stick to the plant with their trunk and sit motionless on it.
Outwardly, scale insects look like small rounded fleas. The carapace is translucent with a white tint.
Thyroid aphids are small in size, from 1 to 4.5 mm. They know how to produce a waxy liquid. The wax folds around the female, protecting her from external stimuli during egg-laying.
Danger of the scabbard
It feeds on aphids with plant sap. The parasite sticks to the leaf and pulls the juice until it is completely exhausted. Often the thyroid gland is found on these types of orchids: phalaenopsis and cymbidium.
Empty spaces are formed at the lesion sites. Spots of yellow or red-brown color appear on the leaf. Over time, they increase and occupy the entire leaf area. The plant begins to die off and die.
The wax plaque that remains after the female scale insect is a carrier of fungal diseases. The most common mold is mold. The disease actively affects the leaf and interferes with synthesis. The plant weakens, turns yellow, the leaves fall off, and the stem completely dies.
Top dressing with chemicals
It will help to cure a modern assortment of chemicals, which include intexids, they are excellent at fighting aphids. How to get rid of scale insects on an orchid with intoxids:
- Systemic series of drugs: Fosfomid, Mitelmercaptophos, etc. Use of the drug - spraying. The active composition penetrates into the inside of the leaf, which leads to the poisoning of its juices. For the thyroid gland, the sheets become poisoned. The parasite dies over time.
- Contact drugs: Spruzit A and Permethrin. Fight against the parasite through uniform spraying. The active substance causes paralysis and the pest is not able to suck out juices further. The drugs work in a short time.
- Intestinal preparations. It is used as spraying of the affected parts of the plant, twice a week. It starts working after it gets inside the parasite, after which it dies.
Intexids are potent substances. If after the course of treatment there is no improvement, the next intexid should be tried. The fight against the parasite cannot be stopped, otherwise the plant will die.
Getting rid of the scabbard with intoxids
How to use it correctly
It is necessary to treat with chemicals according to the instructions. After processing, the plant should not be exposed to the sun, otherwise it will get sunburn or turn yellow.
If there is oil in the composition of intoxides, then the drug is applied pointwise. Spraying it evenly all over the flower can clog the pores and kill the plant.
Folk remedies
When chemical treatment is not available, alternative methods should be resorted to. You can fight the scale insect on orchids without the use of agrochemicals using the following means:
- Fern tincture. Pour the finished dried product with hot water, let it brew for 20-30 minutes. The remaining broth is sprayed every day for a week.
- Butter. 1.5 tbsp mix olive oil with 100 ml of distilled water. Spraying is prohibited, a point anointing is applied until complete recovery.
- Garlic will help get rid of scale insects on orchids. Clean the head, cut the slices in half, pour 100 ml of warm water. Spray evenly throughout the week.
- Alcohol and soap. Grate 20 g of laundry soap on a fine grater and pour 100 ml of warm water. Add 10 ml of alcohol to the mixture, mix everything. Spray evenly until complete recovery.
The flower is sensitive to alcohol solutions. It is necessary to be extremely careful when using this popular method in the fight against the parasite.
Prophylaxis
The best prevention is proper care. Fulfilling the standard conditions for keeping and caring for a flower, the plant is less exposed to attacks by pests, including scale insects.
Most often, the parasite infects the plant in the store. Please check the item carefully before buying.
If the flower is purchased with affected leaves, then it must be protected from other indoor plants for several months. This will help remove the parasite without a massive epidemic.
Conclusion
The scale insect on orchids is an insect that can lead to the complete death of the flower. Do not ignore the first signs of defeat.