How to get rid of the whitefly on indoor flowers

There are many insects that can harm both indoor and garden plants. And the whitefly among them is one of the most dangerous pests. But you can get rid of it, the main thing is to know which methods are really capable of destroying an insect.

What kind of insect

The whitefly is like a small mole and has a length of about 2 mm. From above the insect is covered with white pollen. It is not easy to find, as they usually hide on the underside of the leaves. In the same place females lay eggs, which are attached to the plant by thin stalks. One female is able to lay about 300 eggs per month.

Then the larvae appear, capable immediately after birth to move independently around the plant and look for food. When the larvae grow, they stop feeding.Female whiteflies spread to other plants, where they continue to lay eggs. Insects live for about a month.

The whitefly, as well as its larvae, feeds on the sap of plants, and is therefore capable of destroying them very quickly. The leaves turn yellow quickly, as the plant loses all its strength, and soon dies. In addition, insects carry many different diseases that infect flowers and plants. That is why the whitefly is considered a dangerous pest and headache of all gardeners.

How to recognize a pest

The first sign of the whitefly is the presence of white midges near the plant. Therefore, if they appeared there, you must immediately check the leaves. It is enough just to shake the plant to insects scattered. An insect can also be identified due to the following features:

1. Small white scales appear on the underside of the leaves. These are the larvae deposited by the whiteflies.
2. A sticky coating appears on the plant. This is the waste of insects.
3. On the leaves you can see black spots that appear as a result of the development of soot fungus.
4. The plant stops growing, and the leaves quickly curl and turn yellow.

Where and when the whitefly appears

The insect affects not only indoor plants, but also garden plants. In the house it may appear in the summer during frequent rains. The fact is that whiteflies love heat and humidity very much. For example, at temperatures below 10 ° C, adults and larvae die. But the eggs can easily tolerate frosts.

Therefore, in the cold season, midges prefer to live in greenhouses and greenhouses. The ideal conditions for the whitefly are the lack of ventilation and close proximity of plants. And in order to prevent the emergence and reproduction of insects, you need to make sure that:

• the plants were well ventilated;
• there was no excessive watering;
• plants were often fertilized and not planted too closely.

Of the indoor plants, the whitefly most often affects ficuses, gardenias, orchids, begonia and gerberas. They can also eat vegetables, especially tomatoes, and deciduous trees such as apples, mulberries, pears, mountain ash and oaks.

How to deal with the whitefly

There are a huge number of ways to save plants from flying pests. Chemicals are considered the most effective.They poison the sap of the plant that whiteflies feed on. But the eggs "chemistry" does not work. Therefore, after the first spraying, you need to wait until the larvae hatch.

Folk remedies acts on the insects themselves, without poisoning the plants, and also give a good result. And with the help of traps and fumigators, it is easy to destroy adult individuals. It is important to know that during the period when the larvae are transformed into an adult, all the chemical means on them practically do not work.

Traps and fumigators

As a trap, you can use special tools that are sold in specialized stores. This cardboard is soaked with glue that is safe for humans. These cardboard traps are usually yellow to attract insects. Whiteflies need only a little closer to the cardboard to stick. In addition, such traps are also excellent against other harmful insects, for example, a Putinite tick or mushroom mosquitoes.

They can easily be made independently. To do this, you need a thick cardboard of bright yellow color. Then it is covered with petroleum jelly, castor oil and a mixture of rosin and honey. They are fixed on the holder of metal or wood.You can set such traps directly in the pot, if the plant is already hit by insects, or on the windowsill. In the greenhouse of one trap enough for 10 square meters. m

You can use and fumigator, destination for mosquitoes and flies. They need to be included in the outlet, located as close as possible to the plants themselves. It is important to isolate the room, since the liquid in the fumigator is sufficiently harmful to people and animals.

Folk remedies for whitefly

The easiest way to destroy pests is to wipe the leaves of plants with a sponge and water. This method allows you to get rid of the larvae and adults. But it is acceptable only for indoor plants. It is enough to wipe the leaves 1 time per week to reduce the number of whiteflies. You can destroy insects by lowering the temperature of the air in the room. But the eggs will not die, so this method needs to be repeated from time to time.

To wipe the leaves of plants is most effective with soapy water. To make it, you need to take the soap and rub it on a fine grater. Then it must be dissolved in water in the ratio of 1 tbsp. l soap on 6 tbsp. lwater. After that, mix the solution into the foam and wipe the leaves. They can also be sprayed with this liquid, but then it is not necessary to beat the foam. The main thing is that the solution does not get into the soil.

Excellent helps to destroy whitefin infusion of garlic. To do this, take 3 small cloves of garlic, chop and then pour a liter of water. Need to insist about a day in a dark place. The affected plants are then sprayed with this liquid. From time to time the procedure must be repeated.

To get rid of insects, you can use tobacco. It is enough to grind a pack of strong cigarettes and fill with a liter of water, only hot. Keep the infusion in a dark place need at least 5 days. Before use, the solution must be drained. It is necessary to spray the plants every few days until the whiteflies disappear completely.

Chemicals

Among all modern chemicals, the most effective in pest control are:

1. Aktara. Enough to pour this solution on the root of the plant so that all the insects will die. All adults and larvae die due to the fact that the tool slightly poisons the sap of the plants.The first time this solution is better to do a little stronger than what is written in the instructions for the drug. It is absolutely safe for the flower, but the pest will disappear guaranteed. If the flower is damaged very much, you can spray it with Aktar. This must be done 3 times in a row with a break of a week.
2. Confidor. Usually for the complete destruction of pests is enough one watering. The tool must be diluted according to the instructions and water the root of the plant. Replace Confidor can such drugs as Admir, Applaud and Copfidor.
3. Akarin. This is an excellent remedy, not only from the whitefly, but also from most other plant pests. They need to spray the plants, preferably only the places of insects. Akarin acts through the sap of the plant, and is in direct contact with insects.
4. Spark. The drug is available in the form of tablets, liquid, powder and sticks. They need to water the infected plants. The advantage of the Spark is that it is valid for 20-25 days. Therefore, a single spraying is quite enough.

After the plant has been treated with a chemical agent, it can be put in a bag and tied up.You need to keep it for at least 1-2 hours so that the drug will act more effectively. Then the plant must be washed well under a strong stream of water and put in place.

Some experienced gardeners recommend using a more extreme method in which the plant is completely immersed in the chemical solution for 5 minutes. Then it should also be washed thoroughly. Garden plants are sprayed with these drugs 3 times in a row with a break of 7-10 days.

Preventive measures

The fight against such a pest as whitefly can last all summer. Therefore, to prevent the occurrence of insects in the garden or garden, you need to take preventive measures. For example, when planting seedlings of tomatoes or other vegetable crops in the greenhouse, you need to provide it with good ventilation.

Air temperature should not exceed 15–16 ° C. The greenhouse should be painted, and the entire area cleaned from the old grass. In winter, it is better to open the greenhouse so that it is well frozen. A purchase of seedlings should always be carefully checked for infection.

As for indoor plants, it is necessary:

• avoid stagnant water in the pallets;
• do not put the pot very close to each other;
• regularly do sanitary cleaning, removing dry leaves, pruning shoots, etc .;
• often ventilate the room in which the plants are located;
• when you buy a new houseplant, you need to arrange a quarantine for him not less than a week
• from time to time wash the plant and wipe the leaves, if there are no contraindications.

And remember, if the soil for planting is mixed independently, all components must undergo an obligatory sterilization!

If the whitefly hits a plant, then getting rid of it will not be easy. Insect eggs are very difficult to destroy, and insects multiply and spread quickly. Therefore, at the first detection of the whitefly, it is necessary to take urgent measures to destroy it.

Video: fight with the whitefly