You can tell that your lovingly grown orchids, violets and ficuses have been attacked by mealybugs by the “cotton wool” that accumulates in the axils of the plant leaves.
What looks like white lumps of cotton wool is the legendary white-gray pest, resembling a woodlouse, said the expert of the online publication Belnovosti, agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .
The insect not only feeds on plant juices, but also injects its poison into them, which, as you understand, does not have the best effect on the well-being of the “green pets”.
To save the flowers, you will first have to mechanically remove all visible pests from their surface, as well as from the soil in the pot.
It is better to do this using a cotton swab or cotton pad soaked in alcohol.
After this, put the plants under a warm shower, and then be sure to dry them.
To get rid of the parasite for sure, before bathing, lather the above-ground part of the plants with soap foam and only then douse them with water. The soil in the pot should be covered with film or a bag.
The final step is insecticide treatment. The procedure should be repeated 3-4 times with an interval of 5-7 days.
