Have you noticed cottony lumps on your plants lately? Be careful, don’t think it’s just a fungus or mold, because it could be a much more serious problem. Mealybugs, have you ever heard of them? In any case, plant and plant lovers know them very well! Mealybugs stink! These insects are one of the worst pests that can attack your plants. We show you how to eliminate them instantly.

Mealybugs are small, soft-bodied insects that produce a white, cottony material that protects them from heat and all kinds of external aggressions. Here’s  how to get rid  of it for good!

Signs that scale insects have attacked your plants.

Let’s look at how you can   spot these pests  . Since they can be easily seen with the naked eye, the best way to spot them is to simply   examine the leaves and stems of your plant   to see if there are any   white cottony masses attached   to them. Also check the undersides of leaves, in the folds, and around the tips of the plant.

Unfortunately, they can   hide in stems, leaf whorls   , and other hard-to-reach places (including roots), making it quite difficult to spot them before they spread everywhere. So be very careful with that!

Scale insects: how to recognize them and how do they develop?

You can distinguish them by their color: they are  brown   and stay in one place on the plant. However,   female scale insects   are visible to the naked eye and can   lay eggs in a cottony sac without mating.

It should be noted that   mealybugs are not as devastating as red spider mites  , but if they are not removed in time, they end up destroying the plant. Let’s find out how to get rid of it naturally.

Scale insects on a plant. source: spm

Methods to get rid of mealybugs that attack your plants

Here are   natural methods to protect yourself from these parasites   very quickly:

Marseille soap   : Simply melt a few shavings of Marseille soap or use a tablespoon of Marseille soap poured into half a litre of decalcified water. Add a tablespoon of black soap and two tablespoons of 70% isopropyl alcohol. Mix and then apply the solution to the scale insects with a brush.

Washing plants with water:   One of the most natural and risk-free ways for plants is with water. In fact, it is possible   to dislodge mealybugs with a regular jet of water  . Repeat the treatment as many times as necessary. This solution is ideal for   mild infestations  .

Homemade Insect Repellent:   To make this homemade garden pesticide, here’s what you do: Combine   1 head of garlic  ,   1 small onion   , and   1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper   in a food processor or blender and blend everything together to make a paste. Add   1 quart of water   to this paste and let it infuse for 1 hour. Strain through cheesecloth to strain the mixture, then add   a tablespoon of liquid dish soap.  Mix everything well. The solution can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator. Next, spray the product on the parts of the plant where the mealybugs are found.

Treatment of a plant with insecticide. source: spm

Neem vegetable oil (Neem) –   is ideal for   getting rid of scale insects naturally  . In fact, it significantly reduces   the feeding, growth and development capacity of these pests  , and acts as a kind of   repellent  . To do this, add   5-15 ml of neem oil   to   1 liter of water   and mix well. Simply spray the infested plant with this solution.

Insecticidal soap –   you can make your own using mild dishwashing detergent. Try to find a product that is free of fragrances and other additives that can harm the health of your plants. Mix the soap with water (start by putting   one teaspoon of soap   per   5 litres of water   and gradually increase if necessary). Spray the soapy solution on your plants.

Isopropyl alcohol:   Soak a cotton ball  in  isopropyl alcohol and apply it directly to the mealybugs. This kills them instantly. To do this, use a solution made up of no more than   70% isopropyl alcohol  , and test it on a leaf before applying it to the entire plant. This will allow you to check that the alcohol does not burn the plant.

Treat a plant. source: spm

These tips will help you eradicate mealybugs once and for all! Don’t hesitate to examine your plants periodically for the slightest suspicious presence of these insects. However, in the case of a severe infestation, consider getting rid of your plants and starting from scratch after thoroughly cleaning the areas where your former infested plants were.