Coccids (from the order of Hemiptera) are small (about 30 mm in length), oval and flat insects. Along with bed bugs, they belong to the suborder bed bugs, and these include scale insects, felt insects and scale insects. These pests can wreak havoc on your garden, so if you find them nearby, you should know how to get rid of them.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Recognizing and Harmful Coccids
Step 1. Look for adult coccidians
Coccids are usually whitish or brown in color, but they are also available in other colors. Most have smooth, even shells, but some may look wadded or fluffy. Adults are unable to walk.
Step 2. Identify the larvae
Young coccids (larvae) have legs, and if they are not blown away by the wind, they will move very slowly towards the place on the plant that they like. Larvae usually have a different color than adults. Pads, for example, are whitish in color, and their larvae are orange.
When the larvae get to the right place, they will attach to the leaf or stem and eventually lose their legs
Step 3. Familiarize yourself with what the coccids do when they get on the plant
When they attach to the plant, they pierce it with their mouth and suck out the plant juices.
Coccids are a problem for gardeners around the world. They are able to survive the winter on the leaves and stems of plants, continuing to reproduce when warming comes, and foraging from a nearby garden plant
Step 4. Recognize signs of coccidial damage
The first symptoms are yellow falling leaves. Ultimately, branches and whole branches die, the bark of the trees cracks, and they begin to ooze with sap. False shields do some damage, but usually not enough to kill the plant. But the main problem is honeydew, which is a transparent sticky liquid that insects leave behind.
- Aphids (small insects with soft bodies) also produce honeydew. They are usually green or red in color, but can be of almost any color and are more mobile than coccids.
- The honeydew often grows black, or fungus, which causes unsightly dark spots on the leaves and interferes with the plant's ability to absorb sunlight.
Method 2 of 4: Controlling Coccidia on Indoor Plants
Step 1. Wipe the coccids from the plant
Coccids can attack indoor plants, even if they have never been outside. They often go unnoticed in the greenhouse or shop where the houseplant was purchased and reproduce on the plant after it is brought home. Remove coccidia from indoor plants by rubbing them off with an old toothbrush, fingernail, or cotton pad and rubbing alcohol.
Step 2. Try using an insecticidal soap
Insecticidal soap can be sprayed on houseplants to kill coccids. Stir about 5 tablespoons of insecticidal soap (75 ml) or very mild dish soap into 4 liters of water.
Pour the product into a spray bottle and spray the plant, remembering the underside of the leaves and stems, until soapy water begins to drain off. Repeat the treatment every 4-7 days until the coccidi disappear
Step 3. Don't use regular homemade soap
Do not use laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, or dishwashing detergent with a high concentration of additives or antibacterial ingredients. They can damage the leaves of the plant, causing staining and damage to the leaf tissue.
Method 3 of 4: Exterminating Coccids in the Garden
Step 1. For light infestations, use the same methods as for indoor plants
Coccids are most widespread in the open air, where they infect all types of trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. If the plants are small enough and the infestation is not too severe, get rid of the coccids in exactly the same way as on houseplants.
- Wipe off the coccidus with your fingernail or old toothbrush.
- Spray the plant with an insecticidal spray about every four days.
Step 2. Cut off those parts of the plant that are infected with coccids
For severe coccidus infestations, use a sharp pruner or pruner to cut off branches and leaves with a high concentration of these insects.
- Cut 0.5 cm above the leaf or at the base of a branch.
- Spray a pruner or delimber with a garden hose before using it on another plant to rinse off any insects that may remain on them.
Step 3. Spray the plants with horticultural oil to kill any remaining coccids
Spray the top and base of the leaves and stems with oil. There are various varieties of horticultural oils on the market, the effectiveness of which will be approximately the same. Typically, 2-4 teaspoons of oil should be diluted with 4 liters of water, but the concentration may vary.
Read and follow the manufacturer's recommendations carefully. Shake the spray bottle before use to mix the product and every few minutes while spraying to mix the oil with water
Step 4. Consider the seasons
Spray plants in early spring, before new growth begins, to kill any coccids that have survived the winter. Spray the plants in June, July, and August in summer, but only if the coccids return from the spring treatment.
Horticultural oils will kill the coccids that are on the treated plant. You may need to repeat the treatment after a week or two
Method 4 of 4: Precautions for Horticultural Oil
Step 1. Test the spray on a sheet or two
Wait 24 to 36 hours to make sure the horticultural oil will not harm the plant. The oil can harm plants such as junipers, cedars, and Japanese maples.
If the treated leaves do not show yellowing or discoloration, spray the entire plant
Step 2. Avoid windy days
Do not spray your plants with horticultural oil in windy conditions, as the oil can get on and damage other plants that do not need to be sprayed.
Step 3. Do not spray plants with wet leaves
In this case, the oil will not linger on the plant and will be washed away even before the coccids die.
Step 4. Do not use oil on wet days
Do not spray gardening oil on plants when the relative humidity is 90% or higher, because it will not evaporate quickly enough. If the air temperature exceeds 38 ° C, the leaves of the plant may be damaged.
Conversely, if the air temperature drops below 4 ° C, the oil will not be able to cover the plant evenly, which will significantly reduce its effectiveness
Step 5. Don't use oils on certain plants
Plant leaves that are stressed or wither due to lack of water are more likely to be damaged when sprayed with horticultural oil. Besides:
- Do not spray the oil on young, new stems or leaves of plants, as this may harm them.
- Plants that have been treated with sulfur for fungal diseases in the previous 30 days cannot be treated with horticultural oil. On contact with sulfur, the oil can cause a reaction harmful to plants.
Step 6. Wear safety goggles when using oil
Gardening oil is not very toxic to humans and animals, but it can irritate the eyes and skin.