3 - 6 mm. They got their name from the white cotton-like waxy secretions and white hairs that cover their body at the stage of larva and adult insect. In adult females, the body is not clearly divided into a head, thorax, and abdomen; it has a round, oval, or ovoid shape. Their oral apparatus is piercing-sucking, with its help they pierce plant tissue and suck juice from it. Male mealybugs are much smaller than females and have a structure typical of insects. They have wings but no mouthparts so they cannot feed.

Mealybug habits

Females lay up to 500 - 600 eggs in a special egg sac that they create from the same waxy body secretions. Some species (bristled mealybug) are viviparous. The larvae emerging from the eggs are mobile, they are called "tramps". Having found a substrate suitable for feeding, they attach to it and, only after molting and urgent need (lack of food, competition for food, human attempts to destroy them), they quickly move to another place. Adult females of many species are also capable of active movement along the substrate and look for relatively safe places before oviposition: mechanical damage to trunks and branches, lagging pieces of bark, etc. Generally, mealybugs prefer warm, moist habitats. In closed ground, 4-5 generations can develop in a year.

On the territory of Russia on deciduous and coniferous plants more than 10 species of mealybugs are found (Bohemian, maple, spruce, juniper, grape, seaside, citrus, bristly, cactus, etc.). Almost all of them look the same - white, furry, with many legs. It is difficult even for specialists to distinguish between them. As a rule, they are polyphagous and are found on many species of unrelated plants and in open field, and in , on potted plants.

Signs of damage to plants by worms

Affected plants look covered with tufts of fluff, cotton wool or felt. Parts of plants located under places of accumulation of mealybugs are covered with honeydew. Often, when settling young shoots, leaves curl on them.

Plants damaged by the mealybug lag behind in growth, deformation of the shoots occurs, in places where the mealybug accumulates, the bark of the branches and trunk cracks, ulcers form, and the leaves become stained, turn yellow and fall off. With mass reproduction, ovaries and fruits fall off. Soot fungi can settle on the secretions of mealybugs.

Mealybug damage

Harm is caused by larvae and adult females that suck juice from young shoots, leaves, buds, less often skeletal branches and trunks. As a result of a sharp increase in the number of mealybugs, plants reduce their decorative effect, are greatly retarded in growth, shed their leaves ahead of time, stop flowering and fruit formation, and dry out. Mealybugs contribute to the spread of plant diseases.

Risk group

Aboriginal and ornamental plants open and closed ground, especially weakened (for example, overfed with nitrogen), whose metabolism is impaired. For example, aralia, griselin, gorse, calistemon, clivia, krinum, fragrant olive, myrtle, some species, pittosporum, boxwood, tulip, cissus and others.

Mealybug prevention

• Quarantine with periodic thorough inspection of newly acquired plants. Quarantine of own plants with identified foci of colonization.
• Periodic inspection of plants and places around. Male mealybugs fly close to plants or sit on windows.
• Regular washing of the crown and even individual leaves (on small specimens of plants).
• Timely removal of drying parts of plants.
• If single individuals or small colonies of mealybugs are found, removal with tweezers or a hard brush, or a brush moistened with kerosene, soapy water or alcohol. The latter is possible only on plants with a thick, dense epidermis and no waxy layer. Inhabited areas can also be wiped with a tincture from a pharmacy.
• Destruction of black garden and other species entering into an alliance with mealybugs.
• Strait with a hot shower (water temperature + 40 ... + 52 ºС).
• Use of traps. Male mealybugs, like butterflies, fly into the light at night, so sticky plates attached near the lamps can be used to combat them.

Folk remedies for mealybug

• Spraying three times with an interval of 7-10 days with a solution of green soap (10-15 g per 1 liter of water).
• : 100 g of dry horsetail is taken per 1 liter of water, poured with boiling water, cooled to room temperature and sprayed on the affected plants.
• Oil emulsion: 1 liter of water is mixed with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then sprayed on the plants.
• Alcoholic solution with soap: 15 g of liquid soap, 10 ml of denatured alcohol and 1 liter of warm water. The method is not applicable to plants with soft and thin leaves. In this case, the liquid is applied with a brush to the insects themselves. Another cooking option: pour 10 g of soap chips with a small amount hot water, stir well until the soap is completely dissolved, then add up to 1 liter of water at room temperature, add 20 ml of alcohol or vodka and mix well. The solution prepared in this way is recommended to be used for spraying plants affected by the mealybug. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the agent does not fall on the soil. Wash the plants with clean water 24 hours after treatment. Spray with such a solution at least 1 time in 3-4 days.
• Tincture of garlic: 4 - 5 cloves of garlic per 0.5 liters of water. Water must be brought to a boil, finely chopped or squeezed. Then the garlic is poured with boiling water and insisted for at least four hours. The infusion is filtered and applied undiluted with a brush on the leaves.

The use of entomophages

In nature, regulating their numbers. These include riders (from the genera Anagyrus, Aphitis, Coccophagus, Leptomastix, Leptomastidea and Pseudaphycus), predators are the cryptolemus cow beetle, the marmalade fly and the common lacewing.

Measures for active control of mealybugs

The best time to use chemicals is when the newly hatched juveniles leave the body of the female or the egg sac. They are not covered with protective wax yet. The difficulty is that, as a rule, individuals of different stages of development coexist on the plant at the same time: eggs, larvae of different ages, and adult females. Therefore, for the successful destruction of the mealybug, insecticides must be applied at least 3-4 times every 10-14 days, each time killing the newly emerging young larvae.

Now the range of preparations for plant protection against mealybugs is significantly limited: Bi-58 New, Danadim, Evrodim, Tagore, Kemifos, Novaktion, Fufanon, Doctor. To avoid addiction, do not treat plants with the same preparation several times.

Before the first use, any drug must be tested on one plant. If during the day the condition of the plant has not deteriorated, you can apply the drug on all protected plants of this species.

Be careful when using plant protection products. Always read label instructions and product information before use. Carry out processing in compliance with all safety rules.

All lovers of greenery in the house need to know what a mealybug looks like, how to fight on indoor plants with it, as well as the main methods of preventing pest infestation. These creatures look like aphids. Their size ranges from 3 to 7 mm. From above, pests seem to be sprinkled with flour. This substance protects them from drying out, since they do not have an external solid chitinous apparatus. Recognizing the presence of mealybugs is not difficult, as they form a specific cotton-like coating on the leaves. In these fluffy masses, the females of these pests can lay up to 500-600 eggs. This contributes to the very rapid spread of these creatures on neighboring colors.

If the degree of infection is low, it is quite possible to get by with folk remedies, which have a milder effect and are completely harmless to humans and pets. If the first signs of leaf damage were not detected in a timely manner, it is necessary to use more effective and efficient chemicals and agricultural practices to combat these creatures. In some cases, it is advisable to use all possible methods at once to more quickly eliminate pests from the leaves of indoor plants.

How to start the fight against mealybugs?

Usually the activation of these pests occurs in spring and autumn. The maturation of mealybug larvae largely depends on temperature regime and relative air humidity. This pest multiplies most rapidly at 25°C. For a long time, worms on indoor plants live in relatively small populations. In this case, they do not cause significant harm. With the creation of favorable conditions, the number of these pests can quickly increase. More often, mealybugs infect weakened plants that have not received necessary care or suffered from an excess of nitrogen that disrupts metabolism. On healthy young indoor flowers, these pests usually do not settle, as the plants have their own defense mechanisms that repel these insects.

In order to quickly get rid of the mealybug, you need to carefully examine the affected flower and, if possible, remove all the leaves and shoots that are most strongly covered with these creatures. It is necessary to isolate the infected plant from others. Among other things, you need to take an old soft toothbrush and, moistening it with soapy water, carefully remove insects from those shoots that cannot be removed. Moistened cotton swabs can also be used to combat plaque on indoor plants, but this is less convenient. If possible, you need to rinse the plant with running water after removing the existing foci of pest settlement. Such a procedure will reduce their number and increase the effect of the use of folk and chemical remedies designed to combat these creatures.

If a indoor flower has pronounced signs of damage by this pest, it is necessary to act directed, using special means. Currently, many chemicals have been developed that allow you to quickly eliminate these small insects.

The most commonly used include the following:

• Actellik;
• Aktar;
• Bankol;
• Inta-Vir;
• Vertimek;
• Karbofos;
• Tanrek;
• Confidor Extra;
• Fitoverm.

The cost of such funds, depending on their variety, can range from 10 to 120 rubles. With a strong infection of the plant, it is not easy to quickly get rid of the mealybug, since the flower is weakened and may even die soon. It is necessary to select an insecticide on an individual basis, since these pests have the ability to acquire resistance to drugs of this type. With a strong infection, it is better to start applying immediately. Aktar. It is a very powerful insecticide with a systemic effect.

In case if in flower shop it was not possible to purchase this remedy, then to eliminate pests that severely affected the plant, it is best to use Inta-Vir or Confidor. These drugs have a powerful effect, but at the same time they are relatively safe for humans. With severe damage to the plant, you can use Karbofos and Vertimek. These products have a high degree of toxicity, so they should be used very carefully. It is best to carry out procedures outdoors. This will minimize the risk to humans and animals.

If the defeat of the mealybug is mild, drugs can be used Aktara or Fitoverm. They are slower acting, but are considered safe. Any insecticide, regardless of their class, must be applied strictly following the instructions. To enhance their action after treatment, the houseplant should be covered with a transparent bag and left for several hours. It is very important for this period to protect it from direct sunlight so that the flower does not die due to an increase in temperature inside such an impromptu greenhouse. With a strong infection, it is best to treat the plant with insecticides at least 3-4 times. The interval between procedures should be at least 5-7 days. It is very important that the air temperature during the treatment of plants from the mealybug was at least + 22 ... + 24 ° C. If it fluctuates within + 11 ... + 20 ° C, this will significantly affect the effectiveness of insecticides.

Folk remedies for the fight against mealybugs

Many modern people afraid to use special chemicals to eliminate pests from indoor plants. Folk remedies in this matter are less effective, but they do not have a toxin effect and cannot harm people living in the house. Such recipes can be successfully applied with a slight damage to plants by a mealybug.

The simplest, but at the same time quite effective way to eliminate these pests is a soapy solution. This product can be easily made at home. For its preparation, you can take cosmetic, tar and even laundry soap. Suitable and means intended for washing dishes. The soap solution should be thick. The more foam, the better. They need to process not only all the leaves and shoots of the infected plant, but also the windowsill, pallet and pot. This will increase the effectiveness of this folk remedy.

After treatment, it is necessary to leave the soapy solution on the plant for 2-3 hours, then rinse gently. To enhance the effect, you can add a few spoons to this remedy. ammonia. However, when processing such a remedy, it must be washed off after 15-20 minutes. It is worth noting that this folk recipe getting rid of the mealybug is not suitable for all types of plants. It is believed that in some cases, soap can block the stomata present on the stem and leaves, which causes the death of the flower due to disruption of the photosynthesis process. Among other things, you can not use solutions containing alcohol if the plant has tender leaves. This will cause burns.

Garlic is often used to eliminate mealybugs. The poisonous substances contained in it can scare away this pest. To prepare this remedy, you need to take 1 tsp. chopped garlic cloves to a pulp and pour them with 1 glass of water. It is necessary to insist the remedy for 1-2 days, and always in a sealed container. This remedy should be used to wash the leaves every 7-8 days.

To get rid of the mealybug, you can also use onion peel. To prepare the composition, you need to take about 20 g of a carefully crushed plant component and pour 1 liter of warm water. You need to insist on the remedy for at least a day, and then use it to spray infected indoor flowers. Usually 2-3 treatments are enough to get rid of the mealybug.

In addition, quite often, a strong infusion of dry tobacco is used to combat this pest. To prepare such a remedy, you need to take about 80 g of shag and pour 1 liter of warm water. The agent must be set aside for a day, then carefully strain and dilute with water until the initial amount of liquid is obtained. This infusion can be used both for spraying and for washing. This tool perfectly eliminates white bloom on leaves and stems.

onion peel

How to prevent mealybugs from infecting plants?

However, the best way to deal with this pest is to prevent its occurrence. If you got into the house new flower, it must be quarantined separately from the rest for at least 1 month. Be sure to conduct a periodic inspection of all indoor plants, paying special attention to the back of the leaf and sinuses. If on early stage worms have been identified on the plant, this guarantees a good effect even when used folk remedies in the fight against them.

Among other things, it must be borne in mind that frequent airing of the room, washing and spraying the leaves with special cleaning solutions can reduce the risk of these pests. In addition, it is desirable to carry out periodic treatment of plants with insecticides. This will prevent an increase in the number of pests if they still hit the flower. For prevention purposes, you can also use folk remedies, for example, garlic or onion tincture, which will reduce the risk of the spread of mealybugs.

The mealybug or, according to the aptly popular name, the hairy louse, is a close relative of another hard-to-remove pest - the well-known scale insect. Like her, it is a sucking insect that damages both garden and indoor plants. Scientists attribute them to the family of Hemiptera. And although outwardly they bear little resemblance to each other, the methods of dealing with them are largely similar.

To understand how to deal with a mealybug, you first need to get acquainted with its biological characteristics. No war on pests will be successful if you do not take into account their lifestyle, feeding methods and reproduction opportunities.

The hairy louse got its name from the powdery coating that covers the insect and the white waxy secretions where the female lays her eggs. Thanks to this protection, the masonry is not damaged by water, although the insect itself is afraid of it. This circumstance greatly complicates the fight against the pest. So much so that sometimes it is better to throw away an affected plant than to try to clean it, risking infecting other, healthy specimens.

Mealybug species

There are more than two thousand species of mealybugs in the world, most of which live in the tropics. In European countries, there are only a little more than three hundred of them. And even less on the territory of the former Soviet Union: bristly, grape, seaside, citrus and Comstock mealybug.

bristly bug (Pseudococcus longispinus) reaches a size of 3.5 mm. This is the length of an adult female, males are much smaller. The body shape of this species of mealybug is elongated-oval, the color can be orange or pinkish with an obligatory white coating. Both females and males are very mobile - the legs of the insect are well developed and allow it to quickly move from one plant to another. Only females feed. Males are much rarer and do not bring much harm. The female bristleworm does not lay eggs - they are viviparous.

Bristly bugs live on the undersides of leaves, in the axils and on the tops of tender young shoots. They can settle on bulbs. Affected leaves and shoots turn yellow and lag behind in development. In bulbous plants, scales dry out, under which pests climb.

Unlike bristly, Grape mealybug (Pseudococcus citri) oviparous. Females have a body of a wide oval shape, yellow or pink, covered with a powdery coating characteristic of this insect species. The larvae hatched from the eggs immediately spread to the nearest plants, settling along the veins of the leaves and on young shoots. With severe damage, they can form huge colonies that quickly suck out the cell juices of their host, which leads to wilting and death of the plant.

seaside worm (Pseudococcus affinis) is considered one of the most common. Adult females reach a length of 4 mm with a body width of up to 2.5 mm. Greyish-pink in color with a white waxy coating. The males of this mealybug are much smaller and have wings that allow them to move through the air throughout the summer. The eggs of the female seaside mealybug are laid in white egg sacs, consisting of fluffy cobweb secretions. If desired, they are not difficult to find in various secluded places: inside twisted leaves, in cracked bark, on branching branches. The larvae of the mealybug are small and mobile, yellowish in color and completely without white bloom. They are transferred very quickly: on the fur of animals, on the hands and clothes of a person, and simply by the wind. Like adult insects, into which these babies will turn in a month, they suck out the juices of plants, causing their oppression and death.

Comstock mealybug (Pseudococcus comstocki) is a rather large insect, up to 0.5 cm long. Its homeland is East Asia from where it was introduced to other countries. At times Soviet Union this dangerous pest was considered a quarantine object, both internal and external. Its limited foci are still often found in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, certain regions of the Transcaucasus and in the south of Kazakhstan. In warm climates, it reproduces very quickly - it is able to give three generations a year. Winters usually in the ground. It lays its eggs in cracks in the bark and in the soil, where it settles for the winter. One clutch can contain up to 600 eggs. The larvae appear from April and immediately begin to feed on the leaves and shoots of plants. Sometimes even tree trunks, perennial tubers and roots are affected. They quickly spread along with the fruits, are carried by water and wind, infected planting material.

Features of defeat mealybug

Detect defeat various types mealybug is not so difficult. As a rule, all of them are clearly visible on the surface of plants. They like to huddle in colonies on stems, petioles and leaf axils, and especially on the underside of the leaf. The appearance of any worm is accompanied by white discharge, resembling cotton balls, of which there can be so many that the plants stand as if in fluff. It is on this basis that one can easily determine which pest is to be fought.

The worms feed on the juices of leaves, young shoots, buds. Their vital activity strongly inhibits the growth of infected plants, deforming the shoots, causing the ovaries and leaves to fall off. Perhaps even the appearance of cracks in the bark and the drying of entire branches. BUT citrus mealybug (Pseudococcus calceolariae) additionally affects the roots of trees. In addition, females secrete litter - a sweet and sticky liquid, the so-called honeydew, on which a sooty fungus quickly settles, heavily polluting branches and leaves.

More often than others, grapes, fuchsias, palm trees, amaryllis, camellias, oleanders, monsteras and all citrus plants become victims of hairy lice. They do not disdain even cacti and Kalanchoe. It is much easier to prevent their mass reproduction than to fight pests for a long time.

Prevention of the appearance of a mealybug

The very first of the preventive measures against the mealybug is a regular and thorough inspection of all plants. It is especially important to carry it out in the off-season.

When examining, it must be borne in mind that the pest does not tolerate moisture, preferring to live in dry places. Therefore, the timely removal of dried leaves is a mandatory event that should be done constantly.

It helps to fight the resettlement of the mealybug and regular washing of the leaves - the pest practically does not linger on such plants.

In addition, we must remember that these pests are very fond of breeding in soil rich in nitrogen. Its excess in the substrate of indoor plants increases the likelihood of infection several times.

How to deal with a pest?

Mild mealybug infestations can be dealt with relatively quickly. It is usually enough to clean the plant with a cotton swab or a soft brush dipped in diluted soap. After removing the pests and their white secretions, it is necessary to spray with green soap, infusion of tobacco or garlic, repeating it three times with an interval of one week. A good result is also obtained from treatment with alcohol or tincture of calendulapurchased at a pharmacy.

Instead of repeated spraying, it is permissible to remove pests with a cotton swab or paper towel dipped in one of these preparations. Both that and another after the end of the procedure must be immediately destroyed - in order to avoid the spread of surviving insects.

From folk remedies , which are easy to prepare at home, the following can be recommended for spraying:

1. Soap-alcohol mixture:

Crushed soap - 1 teaspoon;
- vodka - 2 tablespoons;
- water - 1 liter.

Vodka can be replaced with one teaspoon of pure alcohol. Dissolve the soap in a small amount of hot water, add up to a liter and add vodka or alcohol. Spray the whole plant with the resulting composition, excluding its contact with the substrate. After a day, be sure to wash off using warm water. Repeat after three or four days.

2. Garlic solution:

Garlic - 25 grams;
- water - 1 liter.

Mash the garlic and pour boiling water over it. Let it brew for six hours, then strain and apply for spraying.

3. Tincture orange peels: pour a small amount of dry or fresh peels hot water and insist two or three days. Spray at intervals of several days.

Chemicals to fight the worm

If the defeat of the mealybug is severe, washing and removing the pests by hand is no longer enough. Chemical treatments will have to be applied. Since the worm is a sucking insect, contact and combined action preparations will be the most effective in dealing with it.

1. Aktara- a popular insecticide with intestinal contact action. The active substance is thiamethoxam.

2. Actellik- organophosphorus non-systemic insectoacaricide. The active substance is pirimifos-methyl. The drug is highly toxic and not suitable for residential use.

3. Bankol- contact-intestinal insecticide. Its active ingredient is bensultap.

4. Biotlin- contact-intestinal insecticide. It is based on a rather dangerous substance - imidacloprid.

5. Vertimek- non-systemic insectoacaricide of biological origin. The active substance is abamectin.

6. Spark "Double Effect"- a preparation based on pyrethroids, which are considered not dangerous for warm-blooded animals and humans. Contains cypermethrin and permethrin. It has an intestinal-contact effect.

7. Calypso- a systemic drug belonging to the class of chlornicotinyls. It has both a contact and a pronounced intestinal effect.

8. Confidor-Extra- a systemic drug based on imidacloprid.

9. tanrec- a broad-spectrum drug based on imidacloprid.

10. Fitoverm- biological insectoacaricide of intestinal and contact action. The main ingredient is aversectin.

11. Admiral- hormonal insecticide of contact-intestinal action. The main substance is pyriproxyfen.

From purely biological agents against mealybugs, you can use Lepidocide.

The bulk of flower growers know how dangerous this pest of indoor flowers is. Therefore, it is very important to know how to deal with the mealybug and what chemicals are used for this.

The plant is prevented from developing not only by adults, but also by larvae that move around the plant in search of food.

• High humidity.
• The temperature is about +25 degrees.

In the greenhouse, when dangerous pests are found, their natural enemies, such as lacewing and ladybug, are populated.

It is better to select chemicals to combat this pest together with a specialist. Almost all flower growers opt for proven preparations, such as:

• Biotlin.
• Calypso.
• Confidor.
• Fitoverm.
• Actellik.
• Aktara.
• Confidant.
• Phosphamide.
• Tanrek.
• Mospilan.

Before proceeding with the processing of indoor plants, it is necessary to carefully examine all plants and determine the degree of damage. The choice of drug depends on the degree of damage.

All leaves and branches that are completely affected by this pest are cut off, since they can no longer be saved.

After all the basic manipulations, they begin treatment with potent drugs.

When working with chemicals, care must be taken and by individual means protection. It is convenient to use thin medical gloves, and the mouth should be covered with a medical mask. The use of chemicals is possible when there are no children and people prone to allergies in the apartment.

Effective folk compositions:

Indoor flowers planted in beautiful and neat pots will be a wonderful decoration for any interior. That is why they are such frequent guests of our window sills. Some types of ornamental indoor plants bloom for a long time, which only enhances their aesthetic characteristics.

Sometimes troubles happen in the life of flower growers - their beloved green pets become covered with a whitish coating, wither away and soon die.

The appearance of a characteristic white bloom indicates that the plant is attacked by a mealybug. What provokes its appearance and how can it be dealt with? All lovers of home flowers need to know what a mealybug looks like in order to quickly respond to its appearance and start a fight.

Have questions?

Ask and receive helpful tips from professional gardeners and experienced gardeners.

Description of the pest

Outwardly, the mealybug is very similar to the common aphid. The size of the insect is sufficient to detect it with the naked eye. The body length of adults ranges from 3 to 7 mm. From above, these creatures seem to be sprinkled with flour - a special substance that protects them from drying out, because the worms do not have a solid chitinous apparatus.

It is noteworthy that the females and males of these insects differ significantly in external data. Females have an oval body that is covered with powdered wax. The females have many short legs and long antennae. Young mealybug larvae are very similar to females, but are much smaller.

Males are winged, insects that look like mosquitoes or crayons of annoying midges. They do not have mouthparts, so they do not feed on the leaves of the flowers and harm them.

It is not difficult to recognize the presence of a pest on plants, since the result of its vigorous activity on indoor flowers is the appearance of a specific cotton-like coating on the leaves. It is in this "fluffy mass" that female mealybugs lay their eggs. The bottom female is able to create a clutch of 500-600 eggs. Such fecundity of the insect ensures its rapid spread to neighboring plants.

Usually it is not difficult to find worms on plants - they are located in the axils of foliage, on stems and petioles.

What plants are affected?

This pest cannot be called very picky, because it can affect a wide variety of home flowers. In addition, there are several varieties of this pest. The worm attacks many citrus crops, such as grapefruit, tangerine, orange, citron and calamondin.

This type of mealybug is called citrus. Females reach 4 mm in length and live 3 months, have a light pink body covered with a whitish coating. Males are beige with transparent wings and live only 2-4 days.

Grapebug often infects both outdoor grapes and ornamental varieties of this plant growing in pots on windowsills.

Also, the mealybug can infect cacti and hibiscus, monstera and ficus, as well as dracaena. He does not ignore violets with azaleas, anthuriums with gerberas.

How to deal with mealybugs on indoor plants:

Now you can start processing the plant with a soapy solution with the addition of alcohol. It is very easy to prepare it. You need to take ordinary laundry soap, grate it on a fine grater. You will need one teaspoon of grated soap, which should be dissolved in 30-50 ml of hot water.

Then the resulting solution is diluted to a volume of 1 liter cold water and 15 ml of medical alcohol is poured into it. Next, you need to spray the aerial parts of the flowers, while covering the soil. After a day, the flower should be washed with warm running water. After three days, the treatment must be repeated.

You can also use calendula tincture for pest control. You just need to moisten a small piece of gauze in the tincture and wipe the affected areas with it. Repeat the treatment 2-3 times a week. For the entire period of treatment, the plant should be moved to a shaded place so that the sun's rays do not fall on it.

If the signs of pest damage are very numerous and extensive, you need to act quickly and decisively, using special chemicals. The most effective and commonly used products include: Akarin, Aktara, Inta-Vir, Vertimek, Bankol, Tanrek, Extra and Fitoverm. With a strong infection of indoor flowers, it will not be easy to get rid of the pest very quickly. The choice of insecticide should be made on an individual basis.

It is recommended to start treatment with Aktara. It is a powerful modern insecticide that has a systemic effect. Inta-Vir and Confidor also have a similar effect. All of these drugs are relatively safe for humans, but still, if possible, it is better to carry out the treatment in the fresh air in order to minimize the risks.