How to process indoor flowers from whitefly. How to get rid of whitefly on indoor flowers

The whitefly brings many problems to gardeners and gardeners. Large colonies of these insects, which are considered one of the most dangerous sucking pests, can destroy crops. To preserve agricultural plantings, you need to know how to deal with whitefly. There are several ways to combat this insect - from chemicals (Aktara, Komandor, Fitoverm) to folk remedies (hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, tar soap, garlic). It will be possible to protect yourself from the pest forever by regularly taking preventive measures.

Description and lifestyle of whitefly

Outwardly, this insect resembles a small moth. Its length is only a few millimeters. The body of the pest is colored yellowish-white and covered, together with the wings, with a powdery waxy coating that resembles flour. It has a sucking-type mouthpiece. What this creature looks like can be seen in the photo.

The development of the whitefly (aleurodida) includes 3 stages: egg, larva, imago. The female lays 10 to 20 eggs at a time, which have a greenish tint and a length of about 0.2-0.25 mm. Under favorable conditions for masonry, their number reaches 300 pieces. They are attached to the inner surface of plant leaves. The eggs turn brown after a few days. The embryo development period is 1–2 weeks.

First instar larvae appear 7–14 days after egg laying. They are transparent, only 0.25 mm long. With the help of the oral apparatus, future adults attach to leaves and feed on plant sap. After 15 days, the development of the whitefly larva is completed, and it turns into a nymph, from which, after 16 days, an imago will turn out.

How long the life cycle of a pest lasts depends on the ambient temperature. The higher it is, the faster the insect develops.

At a temperature of 12 degrees, the full development cycle of the pest will take 2 months, at 17 degrees - 43 days, at 22 degrees - 1 month, at 27 degrees - 22 days. At air temperatures below 5 degrees, insects are not able to develop.

Adults lead a secretive lifestyle. They live on the lower surface of plant leaves, feeding, reproducing and laying eggs here. Whiteflies prefer to live in colonies. If you touch a plant, insects rise into the air with a white cloud, only in this way revealing their presence.

There are several varieties of aleurodids:

• Greenhouse (greenhouse) whitefly. Found in greenhouses, hotbeds and greenhouses. It affects tomatoes, cucumbers and some types of flowers.
• Citrus whitefly. Lives in Japan, India, China, America. In Russia, it is found on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. It feeds on citrus fruits.
• Strawberry whitefly. This type of aleurodida can be found in Europe. It affects strawberries.
• Cabbage whitefly. Loves cabbage.
• Tobacco whitefly. It is able to exist in high temperatures (32 degrees and above). The favorite food of the tobacco whitefly is vegetable, decorative and industrial crops.

Does the whitefly have natural enemies?

What harm does the whitefly do to plants, how is it dangerous?

These pests pose a threat to over 200 plant species. They like to settle in warm conditions with high humidity. Their favorite habitat are greenhouses, greenhouses, greenhouses and remote abandoned areas in vegetable gardens, to which their owners pay little attention.

Aleurodids feed on agricultural plantings: potatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, legumes, pumpkins, etc. They also love indoor plants, especially flowers such as begonia, fuchsia, passionflower, balsam, lantana, geranium, orchid, violet. Also, these butterflies willingly feed on the juice of petunias and roses. The danger of the whitefly is as follows:

• Loss of crops. Aleurodids feed on the sap of young plants, which negatively affects their development, flowering time, and fruit formation. As a result of defeat, they cannot fully develop and bear fruit.
• The death of plantings. Having lost the substances necessary for further growth, the plant affected by the whitefly dries up and dies.
• The appearance of various diseases on seedlings. These insects are the source of many bacteria and viruses dangerous to plants. Having settled on the lower surface of the leaves, they can lead to the appearance of powdery mildew, cladosporium disease that affects tomatoes, bacterial rot, verticillosis (fungal disease).
• The appearance of a sooty fungus (mobile). Sugary secretions of larvae are especially dangerous for planting. This substance coats the leaves of the plant, provoking the appearance of the aspergillus fungus, which clogs the leaf stomata and prevents sunlight from entering them.

How to deal with a pest insect in the garden, in the greenhouse and in the house?

Ready-made insecticides (Vertimek, Fitoverm, Komandor, etc.)

Ready-made insecticidal preparations (Aktara, Fitoverm, Commander, etc.) are effective against whitefly. In order to get rid of aleurodides and not harm your health, insecticides must be used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Many gardeners and gardeners recommend adding laundry soap, dishwashing liquid or shampoo to these products. Soaps and lathers help the preparation adhere better to the treated leaves, which will prolong its effect. A general description of the most effective insecticides against these insects is presented in the table:

To control a small amount of whitefly, you can also use a conventional fumigator with a fly plate. It should be installed in a greenhouse or greenhouse. To get rid of indoor plants from aleurodids, this measure is not suitable.

Folk remedies (ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, etc.)

You can also fight the whitefly using folk methods. However, it is better to do this together with the use of ready-made insecticidal preparations (Aktara, Fitoverma, Aktellika, etc.). Comprehensive control measures are considered to be the most effective. The table contains information on the best whitefly remedies that are made at home:

Sticky tape, glue and checker

Glue traps will help get rid of aleurodids. You can buy them or make them yourself by covering a piece of rich yellow cardboard with castor oil, petroleum jelly, honey, or rosin. It will also be possible to remove these insects with the help of sulfuric smoke or tobacco bombs. Information on how to use the listed devices correctly and which brands are better to choose from on the market is indicated in the table:

What plants does the whitefly dislike and fear?

Some plants are able to repel pests, emitting aromatic substances that not only repel insects, but in some cases also have a toxic effect. Many of them also have insecticidal properties. To scare off the whitefly and fight it will help:

• peppermint;
• wormwood;
• thyme;
• nasturtium.

The spread of aleurodids will help prevent mixed planting of horticultural crops. Their alternation with plants that whiteflies are afraid of will make it difficult to find a “victim”.

How to kill eggs and larvae?

If you treat the affected plants with insecticidal preparations (Fitoverm, Aktara, Confidor), you will not be able to get rid of the pest eggs. It will be possible to destroy their eggs and larvae only with the help of a biological method, which involves the introduction of natural enemies to pests of agricultural crops: encarzia, macrolophus bugs, lacewings, ladybirds.

The main advantages of using biological agents to combat aleurodides are high efficiency, safety for the environment and humans. You can buy beneficial insects or plant plants that attract them near the plantings: chamomile, marigold, marigold.

Insect prevention

To prevent the appearance of pests in a greenhouse or greenhouse, complex preventive measures are required:

• After each harvest, carry out a disinfectant treatment. This should be done even in the absence of aleurodids.
• Destroy weed plants that may contain insect larvae.
• Carry out a mixed planting, alternating agricultural plantings with plants, the smell of which is afraid of pests.
• When buying seedlings, make sure that they are strong and free from signs of disease.
• Freezing in winter. As soon as the frosts hit, it is necessary to leave the greenhouse open for several days so that everything inside is well frozen and the pests have no chance to survive.

Preventing the appearance of insects on indoor plants involves observing the following recommendations:

• Do not allow water to stagnate in the trays.
• Arrange flower pots, avoiding crowding.
• Sanitize regularly. In the process of cleaning, it is necessary to remove plant residues from the soil, cut off dried parts.
• Regularly ventilate the area where the flowers are located.
• Implement a 7-day quarantine for new plants.
• If you prepare the soil yourself, sterilize it before use.
• Irrigate the plants regularly with water from a shower head. Before carrying out water procedures, you should make sure that they are not contraindicated for the flower.
• Inspect the plants daily, paying particular attention to the underside of the leaves.

Very simple. You can see a strange white moth-like midge flying over the plant. This should alert you. Touch the leaves, shake them. If a whitefly pest assimilates your plantings, then a white cloud of moths will immediately appear above the plant. You can also suspect the presence of a winged pest by the following features:

• the presence on the lower surface of the leaf plate of translucent scales (often in large quantities) - whitefly larvae;
• the appearance on the plant of a sticky, shiny plaque - honeydew. Like aphids, the whitefly gives off honeydew on flowers as waste products;
• black spots on the plant arising from the development of a sooty fungus - the eternal companion of honeydew;
• the plant begins to lag behind in growth, the leaves turn yellow, curl.

It is not difficult to spot whitefly on plants. If you notice that a strange white midge that looks like a moth is flying over the flower, then you should be on your guard. Try to touch the leaves of the plant and shake them. If a whole swarm of moths has appeared above it, it means that your green spaces are being mastered by the pest.

The appearance of the whitefly on indoor plants.

There are many signs that make it clear that a winged pest has wound up on landings:

1. The lower surface of the leaf blade is covered with translucent scales, the number of which is considerable. The scales are whitefly larvae.
2. A sticky shiny bloom appeared on the plant - honeydew. Like aphids, the whitefly leaves its waste on the flower in the form of honeydew.
3. The appearance of black spots on plants, which indicate the development of a sooty fungus, which is considered the eternal companion of honeydew.
4. Plants grow poorly, leaves begin to turn yellow and curl.

Whitefly is a small insect with a body length of no more than 2-2.5 mm. White pollen on the wings of the pest resembles flour in structure. They settle on the inner side of the leaf, lay eggs there. After 8-10 days, larvae emerge from the eggs. To fight the larvae, which go through 4 stages in their development, you need to know that it is not so easy to wash them off with water, because the larvae are attached to the leaf with a white sticky mixture.

The fight against larvae and adults should include complex processing, since their life cycle differs from each other. The first step is to hit the whitefly intestines with chemicals. Thus, mass destruction of plants can be reduced. The means of mass destruction include Aktara, Admiral, Kinmiks. All preparations are diluted strictly in accordance with the instructions and sprayed with indoor plants.

To speed up the process of getting rid of insects, you can spill an earthen lump with a solution with preparations. This can be done with pelargoniums. After the solution enters the soil, the root system absorbs all the chemical composition, which is subsequently absorbed by the vegetative parts of the plant. The whitefly feeds on the sap of "poisoned" plants and dies. It is better to use "Aktara" as an aggressive component.

Everyone knows that the whitefly reproduces very quickly and produces large offspring. In case of massive damage, one spraying will not be enough. You will need to do a little differently. When inspecting a plant for damage caused, it is necessary to tear off all damaged leaves, rinse the entire flower under running water and only then treat with an insecticide. In case of mass destruction, "Komfidor", "Talstar" are used, which are also bred in accordance with the instructions.

Sometimes only one specific preparation is not enough, since whiteflies, their larvae and laid eggs can be found simultaneously on one plant. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out the treatment with complex products three times with an interval of 7 days.

Depending on the type of plant, you will have to choose a specific preparation. For example, in order to destroy a whitefly on fuchsia, in addition to using chemical preparations, you will need to use mechanical means: catch insects with adhesive tape, which is used to catch flies, and from time to time rinse the foliage under running water.

If single individuals are found, garlic tincture will come to the rescue. To prepare it, you will need to chop 100 g of garlic, boil 500 ml of water and pour the chopped product. To make the infusion concentrated, you will need to insist in a dark place for a week. A concentrated infusion is not suitable for spraying, it can lead to burns on the leaves. To reduce the percentage, you will need to dilute the solution with water in a percentage ratio of 5 g per 1 liter of water.

In case of mass infection, one garlic - "not a warrior in the field", a dandelion will come to his aid. You will need to take fresh dandelion foliage weighing 50 g, roots - 40 g, chop and put in a container. Pour 1 liter of boiled water and let stand for 2 hours. Strain the product before use. If one treatment is not enough, the second is carried out 7 days after the first.

In addition to processing with infusion of garlic and dandelion, it is important to use additional means of control. The use of laundry soap showed a good effect. You will need to dissolve the soap in water, after rubbing it on a grater, moisten a rag in the resulting solution and wipe the foliage of plants with it.

Miracle trap

Whiteflies, unlike other pests, adore yellow. It is advisable to take this fact into account and direct it against the insects themselves. As an additional tool, you need to hang traps, both for flies and made by yourself.

To make a miracle trap, you need to take a strip of cardboard, grease it with something sticky yellow, for example, petroleum jelly, rosin, resin or castor oil. The smell, of course, is unpleasant, but in this way you can deal with pests.

Prevention

To reduce the likelihood of whitefly appearing on indoor plants, it is not recommended to bring bouquets of flowers made from garden plants into the house, since in the summer this is how the whitefly appears in the house.

It is clear that one cannot do without airing the room, but insects fly into the house through the window, so the windows must be protected. When buying a new plant at a flower shop, it is important to carefully examine it for unexpected guests, and in the house to put it separately from other indoor flowers so that it can adapt.

At home, you can see thrips on indoor plants: how to deal with small insects that settle on violets, ficuses, citrus fruits, begonias and roses and their population is more than 2000 species?

Thrips can be recognized by their description. These are small pests with an elongated yellow body. Sometimes you can find individuals with dark brown and black bodies. Adult specimens have a pair of wings. The larvae are rather small in size, with a body length not exceeding 1 mm. To understand that these are thrips, you can take a good look at him, they jump.

They settle on the vegetative parts of plants, feed on sap from leaves, stems of flowers. The danger is that they multiply rapidly. After laying eggs, after 10 days, numerous colonies of pests appear. But they become adults after a month.

You can understand that thrips are present on plants by discolored areas on the foliage. In addition, all the foliage will be strewn with through punctures - black dots. Brown and dark spots will be clearly visible on the lower part of the leaf plate.

It is very difficult to fight thrips, it will not give up so easily, you need to be ready for this. You should start getting rid of the pest with hygiene procedures. First, you need to inspect all specimens of indoor flowers for thrips infestation. Diseased plants will have to be transferred to the bathroom and rinsed thoroughly under the shower.

In case of mass defeat, you will first have to remove all adults, this can be done with a vacuum cleaner. Next, you need to get rid of the larvae, they can be removed with cotton swabs. On examination, you will have to remove all damaged foliage, cut flowers. If a large part is damaged, you will have to completely trim the stem to a healthy part.

In addition, the plant spends a lot of energy on flowering, which means, spending energy, a weakened flower may soon die. The treatment with chemicals affects the flowers and they lose their attractiveness. After processing, you will need to remove the plant from the old pot, transplant it into new soil. The place where the flower stood will also need to be treated with chemicals.

Preparatory measures will not free from pests, it is necessary to apply insecticide treatment. To combat thrips, use "Aktelik", "Fitoverm" and "Agravertin". In order for Fitoverm to give a positive result, you need to know that spraying with a diluted agent is effective only at room temperatures above 20 ° C.

In addition to the listed means, you can get rid of the whitefly with the help of the following drugs:

• Zeta;
• Rovikurt;
• Inta-Vir;
• Fufanon;
• Top old;
• Alatar.

Whitefly - of the many pests that "love" indoor plants (and also garden plants together with garden plants) takes one of the first places in terms of harmfulness. She is not only voracious, but also troublesome to fight with her. Of course, the best way to deal with whitefly is prevention, but often, despite good care and all protective measures, indoor flowers are exposed to the raids of various pests. It is in this case to take urgent and radical measures. Approximately 70% of the success of pest control depends on how early they are detected. To do this, you need to carefully and regularly examine the plant and, of course, know what a particular pest looks like in order to choose the right way to deal with it.

Why is the whitefly dangerous and how to identify it

The whitefly is small in size, but it is easy to recognize it, at least by association with its name. Although it is a terrible pest, the whitefly looks harmless and even cute. Quite small, only 1-2 mm with wings, which are covered with white bloom. Single insects can only be seen through a magnifying glass. But most often whiteflies are found when a host of white small insects take off when they touch their favorite fuchsia or geranium. This is the most disturbing symptom. Flying whiteflies are already adult insects that have probably laid eggs, and soon larvae will appear, devouring everything. Outwardly, the whitefly larva resembles a scale insect. She also sticks to the plant and creates a wax cocoon. But the sucking of juices is not all the harm caused by the larvae of this pest, the tobacco whitefly (aka cotton) is also a carrier of diseases, quite often its appearance precedes the appearance of and.

It is necessary to begin to fight this pest when the first signs of its activity appear. The first sign of the appearance of a whitefly is the appearance on the leaves of a sticky shiny substance, gum. If you look closely, you will see whitefly eggs on the young leaves. This is a sure sign that immediate action is needed. There are many types of whitefly, but they are especially dangerous for indoor plants: greenhouse (greenhouse), citrus, for garden plants in summer can create problems tobacco (cotton) whitefly.

Whitefly on indoor plants: pest control

The sooner the pest is detected, the less damage it can cause and the more effective and easier it will be to fight it. It is unlikely that it will be possible to exterminate the whitefly immediately, it is a long process. Do not use chemistry right away. Get rid of the adults and at least some of the eggs first. Flying whiteflies can be collected with a regular vacuum cleaner. It is worth touching the plant, they rise into the air, turn on the vacuum cleaner and collect. Then you need to wash the leaves and stems of the plant under running water. If possible, then change the soil in the pot.

Council. Whitefly is a heat-loving pest. Does not tolerate temperatures below +15. Therefore, if the plant is resistant to low temperatures, it can be placed in a cool place. Usually a week is enough for the whitefly to die.

But this is preliminary preparation. After it, you can use chemicals. The choice of chemistry to combat whitefly is quite wide. For example - "Fufanon", "Confidor", "Aktellik" and others. "Aktara" has proven itself and is widely used. One treatment is usually not enough. They must be repeated once a week. It will be necessary to carry out 2-3 treatments.

If you are not a chemist, there are other ways to get rid of the whitefly. Color traps for whiteflies are widely used. These traps are very similar to fly sticks and work in much the same way. But this is rather a preventive measure of struggle, because it acts only on an adult flying individual and can only stop it while approaching the plant. But if the eggs have already been laid and the larvae hatched, then traps are unlikely to help here.

There are also folk ways to combat whitefly.... But they work only when there are not many pests on the plant yet. When the problem is started, then folk methods are ineffective. The most common way to combat whitefly is to use garlic infusion. It is prepared like this.

Marina Kaustyan

Mom and housewife. Knows all the secrets of indoor plants and loves to tell them to others

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Probably every seasoned gardener or just a lover of indoor plants has come across an even greater lover of flowers. This is a pest called whitefly. Outwardly, it resembles a small moth. Without noticing the whitefly in time, you can lose your garden, because these pests cause colossal damage, including bringing the seedlings to death.

Despite the stage of development of the butterfly (adult or larva), they are equally voracious and ready to drink all the juice from the plants. At first, they simply lose vitality and slow down growth, and then they completely die.

Spotting a whitefly is easy. She flies over plants, outwardly very similar to a small white midge. It can also be confused with a moth.

Shake the leaves and if a cloud of small moths has formed above it, the whitefly has already begun to master your plantings. Small scales can hang from the back of the leaf - this is how nascent larvae look like (usually hanging in large numbers). In addition, there may be a shiny coating on the leaves (this liquid is also secreted by aphids in the process of life). And after the appearance of this liquid, black spots appear, which indicates the appearance of a fungus.

Leaves turn yellow, curl, no longer grow - this too pest sign.

If a whitefly is found, take immediate action to eliminate the pest.

Usually, they appear on plants during a very hot but humid summer - this is ideal weather for white butterflies, temperatures below 10 degrees are already deadly for them. Nevertheless, do not think that winter will kill these insects, the larvae tolerate the cold well, and when the heat comes, they are ready to begin their sabotage.

Do you have a vegetable garden?

YesNo

The biggest difficulty is that the whitefly can spread to all rooms of an apartment / house if there are flowers there, because for it this does not pose a particular problem, because it flies.

This insect is very tenacious, it is extremely difficult to eliminate it.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that the whitefly is still a very dangerous pest, it is still possible (and even necessary) to cope with it.

In general, all methods are effective, both chemical, mechanical, and folk. However, more preference should be given to all the same chemical, as they penetrate directly into the plant sap and poison it. After drinking the poisoned juice, the whitefly and all offspring die. If we turn to folk methods, then they act directly on the insect itself, destroying it. Larvae and eggs remain intact, the sap of the plant does not change.

Another way is traps, but they only work on adults, so they are suitable only in advanced cases.

Whitefly Insecticides

• Aktara... A remedy that is well known to the professional gardener, as it is versatile and can cope with a huge number of pests even in the initial stages of development. The cost is 8.5 thousand rubles per 1 kg, but this volume will be enough for several years, so you should not complain about the price. It is very simple to use it - water the plant right under the roots. That's all. The plant absorbs the chemical and the juice is poisonous, which kills the insect almost instantly;
• Actellic... 3 thousand rubles per liter. It mainly fights against the insect colony, making the squads at times less frequent. It is not used as a single agent, it is best to combine it with Aktara. The only drawback is that it has a high toxicity class (dangerous to humans). Therefore, when applying it, you must remember about all safety rules and thoroughly rinse the area where the treatment was carried out. In addition, it has an unpleasant odor;
• Kinmix... Cost: 4 thousand rubles per liter. It has a detrimental effect on the nervous system of the insect, death occurs in a day. Again, it is diluted in a large amount of water, so the consumption is very long and the cost is not so high.

How to carry out processing?

Be extremely careful when working with insecticides. Firstly, if the processing is carried out in a residential area, then it is necessary to ventilate it well, and it is better to leave it to ventilate for a day. If there are fruits among the processed plants, they can be eaten only after a few days (ideally, after a week and a half).

Protect any area of \u200b\u200bthe body where the chemical may enter, sill or pore after washing thoroughly. It is best to dress in buried clothes and wear gloves on your hands. Places that could have gotten insecticide - rinse thoroughly with copious amounts of warm water.

Dilute the insecticide with water exactly in the proportions indicated in the instructions. Thoroughly wipe / spray the leaves, stems (pay special attention to the underside of the leaf, since this is where the larvae live until they mature).

Some insecticides need to be watered into the soil so that the solution is absorbed into the roots and poisoned the juice that these butterflies feed on. Some gardeners recommend at the initial stages to make the solution 3-4 times more concentrated than it is written in the instructions (especially for "Aktara").

Folk remedies against whitefly

• The easiest way is water... Just wipe the leaves with a thick cloth. Careful attention should be paid to the lower area to accurately capture all larvae. Nevertheless, you need to be careful, because the larvae can fall into the ground, and they live in open ground without problems;
• Soapy water... Proportions 1: 6, thoroughly dissolve tar or laundry soap in water. The foam is applied with a sponge to the leaves, can be sprayed. However, be careful about getting into the soil, because getting into the deep layers of the soil is contraindicated;
• Tobacco solution... A cheap pack of cigarettes (like "Prima", "Maxima") grind and dissolve in water (a pack of cigarettes takes 1 liter of water). Leave to infuse for about 5-6 days in a dark place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. Do the same manipulations as with the soap solution. Within three days, you need to lime the entire solution.

In general, it is recommended to just rub folk remedies into the leaves, because in this way you are in more contact with the insect, since you cannot harm any friend to him. The spray solution is less concentrated, so it may not be so harmful to the whitefly.

Prevention of plants

First, you still need to find out under what circumstances the whitefly appears. To do this, pay attention to the following factors:

• Warmly;
• High humidity;
• Densely planted plants;
• Stale air.

When these conditions are present, the whitefly appears on your houseplants. These are the most favorable, one might even say favorite conditions for the pest. As soon as it gets colder, the seedlings stand one by one, the room is ventilated - the whitefly dies out.

Remember that pests will never appear on the site (even if it is indoor), which is constantly looked after. Need to constantly inspect plants, look under the leaves, wipe them and sometimes change the soil.

Another trick is foil... It is used to reflect sunlight onto the inside of the leaf. White butterflies hate the sun, so this will cause great harm to the larvae.

Observing the care of indoor pets, checking them in time, you will definitely get rid of such scourge as pests. The whitefly is a very dangerous insect, the fight against which is simply necessary.

We tell in detail how to deal with whitefly at home - effective methods of struggle. See how to get rid of whitefly on indoor flowers using folk remedies and chemicals, as well as preventive measures.

How to deal with whitefly on indoor plants?

It is difficult to get rid of an insect, only adults can be destroyed with insecticides, and, as a rule, pests are present at different stages of development.

The larvae are very firmly attached to the leaves, and it is not possible to wash them off with any solution, and the susceptibility to the action of chemicals is very low.

• Therefore, the best time to process indoor plants by any means is when an adult has just formed.

An adult insect begins to actively feed and mate, and at this moment it is most sensitive to the effects of folk remedies or drugs.

It is also difficult to fight a pest on indoor flowers because during spraying, adults often begin to fly and hide.

COMBAT MEASURES

1. If an insect is found, place the flower separately from other pets and inspect the entire collection. The place where the specimen was located (window sill, window, outer sides of the pots) - rinse with a soap-alcohol solution.
2. Replace the topsoil in the flower pot.
3. Before treatment with the drug, wipe the leaves of the plant from white bloom with a cotton swab (soft toothbrush) with a solution of water with methyl alcohol (1: 1) or soapy water, and cut off the seriously affected areas.
4. Rinse off the solution and put it to dry. After the water has evaporated from the leaves, spray the flower, topsoil, and sprinkle the soil with a systemic insecticide.
5. Ventilate the area well to remove traces of the chemical.

ADVICE. Plant species that cannot be washed with leaves need to be sprayed, and better with chemicals.

Treating all indoor flowers increases the chances of getting rid of the whitefly, as does rinsing the windowsill, pots, and glass.

In addition to treatments with folk remedies or chemicals, you need to inspect the home flower daily, collect whitefly eggs and catch adults. Cut off affected and yellowed leaves on home flowers in time.

It is sometimes necessary to treat home plants with whitefly remedies, in order to completely get rid of it, sometimes within 40-50 days.

Whitefly preparations

Since the susceptibility of the pest to chemicals at different stages of development is significantly different, it is necessary to deal with the pest in a complex manner.

Whitefly chemicals are an effective pest control agent on indoor plants.

Experts advise from the very beginning to use systemic insecticides ("Aktara", "Confidor", "Tanrek") with a spillage of soil mixture. These drugs will spread over time through the roots throughout the plant, and the insect will be easier to kill.

• Systemic insecticides are recommended to alternate with preparations of intestinal action, since they do not act on the fourth instar larva (pupa - it does not suck plant sap).

Of the enteric-contact drugs, one can note: "Akarin", "Aktellik", "Inta-Vir", "Karbofos" and "Fitoverm".

Popular drugs

Next to each drug, we indicated its hazard (toxicity) class: 4 - low danger to humans, safe for bees and beneficial insects, 3 - moderately hazardous substance, 2 - highly hazardous substance, 1 - extremely dangerous for humans and animals.

Non-systemic insecticides of contact-intestinal action

1. "Akarin" (old name "Agravertin") - 4, (avertin), price: 4 ml package - 13-20 rubles.
2. "Actellik" - 2, (pirimifos-methyl), price: 2 ml pack - 30-50 rubles. On the territory of Russia, the drug for personal use was not registered as of 01.10.2016. Although sometimes the drug can still be found in small stores and on the Internet.
3. "Bankol" - 3 (bensultap), price: package 10 grams - 30-40 rubles.
4. "Vertimek" - 2, (abamectin), price: $ 90 / liter, manual packing - 2 ml - 25 rubles.
5. "Inta-Vir" - 3, (cypermethrin), price: package 8 g - 10-15 rubles.
6. "Karbofos" ("Malathion", "Fufanon", "Iskra M") - 3, (malathion), price: package 30 g - 30-40 rubles (sharp unpleasant smell).
7. Fitoverm - 4, (aversectin C), price: package (ampoule) 4 ml - 15-20 rubles.

Systemic insecticides of contact-intestinal action

1. "Aktara" - 3, (thiamethoxam), price: 1.2 ml ampoule - 40-50 rubles, 4 g package - 90-120 rubles.
2. "Confidor Extra" - 3, (imidacloprid), price: package 1 gr - 30-40 rubles.
3. "Tanrek" - 3, (imidacloprid), price: 1 ml ampoule - 10-15 rubles.

• Prices are taken on the basis of hypermarkets such as "Obi", "Leroy Merlin" at the rate of 1 dollar \u003d 65 rubles. These drugs are widely available in many flower shops.

What is the best drug to choose?

These funds can be alternated, if necessary, with each other in order to completely get rid of whitefly on indoor flowers.

In case of serious injury or decrease in the effect of treatment with previous chemicals, go to Aktellik, Karbofos or Vertimek as they are more toxic.

"Karbofos", "Vertimek" and "Aktellikom" can handle indoor plants only outdoors.

ATTENTION! Read the instructions for use of any drug carefully and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Fitoverm from whitefly

The preparation "Fitoverm" well destroys whitefly on flowers, and many experts recommend starting the fight with it. Fitoverm is an insectoacaricide of biological origin with minimal danger to humans and domestic animals.

Dissolve 2 ml of the preparation in 200 ml of water and spray the indoor flower. Apply treatments every 5-8 days, depending on the size and age of the plants, as well as the air temperature.

In most situations, 3-4 sprays of the flower are enough to completely get rid of the whitefly.

6-8 days after the last or next spraying with Fitoverm, the home flower can be treated with Epin to maintain it.

"Aktara" from whitefly

Many flower growers prefer to fight whitefly on indoor plants using Aktara. "Aktara" is a very strong systemic insecticide that can destroy the pest quite quickly and easily for a grower.

Often, watering the soil, without spraying, is enough to get rid of whitefly on home flowers. In the opinion of florists, this method of struggle helps well: water the indoor flower with Aktara, and the second time in 6-8 days the insect will be completely destroyed.

Standard use of "Aktara" in pest control:

An indoor flower is sprayed with a solution of "Aktara" 1 gram per 1.25 liters of water (enough for 25-30 plants) and a soil mixture is spilled - 1 gram per 10 liters of water.

Treatment must be carried out 2-4 times, every 10-12 days, depending on the air temperature. In most cases, after 2-3 procedures, it is possible to get rid of the whitefly at home.

After spraying the plant, “Aktar” does not need to be washed off. The waiting period for spraying is 1-24 hours, and for watering is 2-4 days.

The drug for severe damage: "Actellic"

Dilute the Actellica ampoule (2 ml) in a liter of water and spray the indoor flower. Use no more than 2 treatments in a row. The waiting period is 3 days.

IMPORTANT! Actellik can only be used outdoors. Pregnant women, persons suffering from asthma and allergic diseases should not work with them.

Actellic is a powerful and toxic agent that helps get rid of whitefly on home flowers.

Treatment plan for indoor plants with drugs

1. It is necessary to process indoor flowers from whitefly every 6-8 days (temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius), since the egg stage lasts 10-20 days at 17-23 ° C.
2. Be aware that if the air temperature at the time of spraying is below 18 °, then the effectiveness of chemicals is seriously reduced.
3. After spraying, it is not necessary to put a plastic transparent bag on the home flower; it is more important to carry out the repeated procedure at the right time.
4. Remember that a single treatment with any drug gives a one-time effect.

IMPORTANT! If a whitefly is found, it is necessary to treat all house flowers as it moves easily. If you only process part of your collection, there is a high risk of re-detection of the pest.

How to get rid of whitefly with folk remedies?

As before, it is folk remedies that are the main weapon in the fight against a pest on vegetable crops. It is very important to fight whitefly with them on cabbage, cucumbers, greens, tomatoes and others.

Since chemical treatment leads to the accumulation of hazardous substances in plant tissues, vegetables, fruits and berries will harm the human body.

However, the fight against the pest with folk remedies on indoor plants is less successful than with chemicals. However, many growers were able to get rid of whitefly on indoor flowers using folk remedies.

Therefore, using chemicals or folk remedies is a personal choice of each person.

• The editors of the "Holiday of Flowers" can say from their own experience that from folk remedies garlic, onions in combination with frequent washing of the plant with soapy water (tar, potash or household) are more effective.

The use of traps and a fumigator in addition will also speed up the process of exterminating the insect.

1. Soap solution

To prepare the solution, you can take household, tar or green potassium soap, and, in extreme cases, any one will do, as well as a dishwashing detergent.

1. It is necessary to completely treat the houseplant with soapy water, as well as the window sill, window frame, pot and pot tray. The more foam in the process, the better.
2. After wiping the plant, it is better to wash off the soapy foam after 2-4 hours.

RECIPE. Pour a tablespoon of soap shavings with a glass of warm water. To enhance the effect, you can add a teaspoon of ammonia (technical, medical, in extreme cases, vodka) and 300 grams of water.

The soap-alcohol solution must be washed off after 10-15 minutes with warm water so as not to burn the home flower.

IMPORTANT! Some experts insist that the use of soapy water on indoor flowers is not permissible. In their opinion, soap blocks the stomata, which leads to disruption of photosynthesis and flower development.

Species of plants with delicate leaves cannot be treated with alcohol.

2. Wood ash

Wood ash from pests is often used by flower growers.

Add one glass of chopped wood ash to five liters of water and leave for 3-4 hours. Then add 50 grams of soap and start spraying the plants with aphid ash infusion.

2nd RECIPE. Pour 250 g of ash with boiling water, strain after cooling and spray the plant.

3. Garlic

Garlic infusion is a popular pest control agent.

Pour a glass of water over five crushed teeth (a teaspoon of gruel) of garlic. Insist the mixture in a tightly sealed container for 1-2 days, and then rinse the plant every 7-8 days. To spray - strain the infusion through three layers of gauze.

Recipe number 2. A teaspoon of garlic gruel (crush 4-5 teeth) is poured into 500 ml of boiling water and insisted for 4-5 hours. The infusion is filtered and the affected flower is rubbed.

Recipe number 3. Spread a few sheets of paper around the potted plant and put the garlic gruel on top. Then cover the indoor flower with a bag (for trash).

The bag is left for a week, the plant is ventilated every evening. If desired, after 3-4 days, you can add fresh garlic gruel.

4. Bow

A medium-sized onion is finely chopped, pounded and filled with a glass of water for 2-3 hours. Then everything is the same as with garlic.

ONION HUSK. To prepare infusion from aphids, 20 g of husk is poured with a liter of warm water and insisted for 13-16 hours. The resulting infusion is sprayed with indoor flowers, usually 2-3 procedures are enough to destroy insects.

5. Infusion of pepper

Apply an infusion of red hot pepper to kill the whitefly: boil 20-30 grams of chopped (finely chopped) pepper in 200 ml of water for 60 minutes. Then leave the resulting liquid for 24 hours and strain. To spray 10 ml of pepper infusion from aphids, dilute in a liter of water.

You can process indoor plants with pepper infusion once every two weeks. Pepper tincture can be stored ready-made for a long time, which makes it possible to use it immediately after a pest is detected.

PROCESSING RULES... Folk remedies are best used every 5-6 days 3-4 times in a row with one of the infusions. For each procedure, it is necessary to prepare a fresh solution, except for the exceptions (pepper tincture).

ADVICE. For a greater effect of spraying with a folk remedy (it sticks better to the plant), add soap to the solution - about a teaspoon of shavings per liter of infusion or solution.

There are other home and folk remedies for whitefly, but we believe that this list of folk remedies will be sufficient for a grower. Since the presented home remedies are easy to find and use, they are also quite effective.

Other folk tricks

Glue traps

In order to make it easier to deal with a pest on plants, in addition to folk remedies or chemicals, glue traps can be used. They perfectly catch adult insects.

To kill whitefly, you can buy a glue fly trap or make one yourself.

Mushroom mosquitoes are trapped

How to make a whitefly glue trap with your own hands?

Paint a piece of plywood, cardboard or thick paper yellow. White traps can be used, but yellow attracts the attention of the pest more strongly.

Lubricate the trap with a sticky substance - castor oil, engine oil, petroleum jelly, rosin with honey.

Dichlorvos

You can fight the pest with dichlorvos, but only if there is no aquarium, children and animals in the house. To do this, spray dichlorvos around the house plant in the morning and evening.

Fumigator

If there is a separate sealed room (balcony, loggia), into which no one will enter, then you can transfer a home flower into it for 2 days and turn on the fumigator with insect repellent plates.

You can also turn on the fumigator when you go to work or at night and put the plant in the bathroom.

Benzyl benzoate from whitefly

Many growers advise using a benzyl benzoate emulsion rather than an ointment to treat scabies.

Dissolve a teaspoon of benzyl benzoate in 200 ml of water and spray the flower.

According to reviews, this is a very effective tool that can remove a whitefly in one procedure. On average, the plant is sprayed 2-3 times after 5-7 days.

Fighting whitefly with temperature (thermal method)

Insects do not tolerate low temperatures - less than 10 degrees Celsius. To do this, place the affected houseplant in a cool place. This method is an addition to flower treatments with drugs or folk remedies and is suitable for species that can withstand the cold.

2nd OPTION... Heat the plant in a confined space (glazed balcony / loggia on a hot day or greenhouse) to 40-45 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the whitefly will have thermal shock.

Biological control methods

These control methods are ideal for greenhouses and greenhouses. Therefore, in order to remove the whitefly, it is recommended to use its natural enemies (lacewing, ladybug, macrolophus, encarsia and others).

Biological agents effectively destroy the pest without harming humans and animals.

Prevention

To prevent the appearance of whiteflies on indoor plants, it is necessary to avoid simultaneously high temperature and humidity. Ventilate the room and do not place indoor flowers too close to each other.

It is very important to properly care for the house plant, as a strong flower can withstand the pest longer.

ADDITIONS TO THE ARTICLE:

We hope that you know how to deal with whitefly and can get rid of it with the help of drugs or folk remedies.

Let your favorite pests bypass them!

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 what methods are really capable of destroying the insect.

What is this insect

The whitefly is similar to a small moth and is about 2 mm long. The top of the insect is covered with white pollen. It is not easy to find it, as they usually hide on the underside of the leaves. In the same place, females lay eggs, which are attached to the plant with thin stems. One female is capable of laying about 300 eggs per month.

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

The whitefly, just like its larvae, feeds on plant sap, therefore it is able to destroy them very quickly. The leaves quickly turn yellow, as the plant loses all 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 a headache for all gardeners.

How to recognize a pest

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

1. Small white scales appear on the underside of the leaves. These are larvae laid by whiteflies.
2. A sticky bloom appears on the plant. This is a waste of insects.
3. Black spots can be seen on the leaves, which appear as a result of the development of a sooty fungus.
4. The plant stops growing, and the leaves quickly curl and turn yellow.

Where and when does the whitefly appear

The insect infects not only indoor plants, but also garden plants. In the house, it can appear in the summer during frequent rains. The fact is that whiteflies are very fond of warmth and humidity. For example, adults and larvae die at temperatures below 10 ° C. But eggs can easily endure frost.

Therefore, in cold weather, midges prefer to live in greenhouses and greenhouses. Ideal conditions for whitefly are lack of ventilation and close proximity of plants. And in order to prevent the appearance and reproduction of insects, you need to ensure that:

• the plants are well ventilated;
• there was no over-watering;
• the plants were often fertilized and not planted too close.

Among indoor plants, whitefly most often infects ficuses, gardenia, orchids, begonias and gerberas. They can also eat vegetables, especially tomatoes, and deciduous trees such as apple, mulberry, pear, mountain ash, and oak trees.

How to deal with 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 "chemistry" does not work on eggs. Therefore, after the first spraying, you need to wait until the larvae hatch.

Folk remedies act 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 adults. It is important to know that during the period when the larvae are transformed into an adult, all chemical agents practically do not act on them.

Traps and fumigators

As a trap, you can use special devices that are sold in specialized stores. This is cardboard impregnated with glue that is safe for humans. These cardboard traps are usually yellow in color to attract insects. The whitefly only gets a little closer to the cardboard to stick. In addition, such traps work well against other harmful insects, for example, the Putin tick or mushroom mosquitoes.

You can easily do them yourself. To do this, you need thick cardboard of bright yellow color. It is then coated with petroleum jelly, castor oil, and a mixture of rosin and honey. They are fixed on a metal or wood holder. You can install such traps directly in the flowerpot, if the plant is already affected by insects, or on the windowsill. In a greenhouse, one trap is enough for 10 square meters. m.

Fumigators designed for mosquitoes and flies can also be used. They need to be plugged into sockets located as close as possible to the plants themselves. In this case, it is important to isolate the room, since the liquid in the fumigator is quite harmful to humans and animals.

Folk remedies for whiteflies

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

It is most effective to wipe plant leaves with a soapy solution. To prepare it, you need to take laundry soap and grate it on a fine grater. Then it must be dissolved in water in a proportion of 1 tbsp. l. soap for 6 tbsp. l. water. After that, beat the solution into a foam and wipe the leaves. You can also spray them with this liquid, but then you do not need to whip up the foam. The main thing is that the solution does not get into the soil.

The infusion of garlic helps to destroy whitefly perfectly. To do this, take 3 small cloves of garlic, grind and immediately pour in a liter of water. You need to insist about a day in a dark place. The affected plants are then sprayed with this liquid. The procedure must be repeated from time to time.

You can get rid of insects with tobacco. It is enough to grind a pack of strong cigarettes and pour a liter of water, only hot. Keep the infusion in a dark place for at least 5 days. Before use, the solution must be drained. You need 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. It is enough to water the root of the plant with this solution so that all insects die. All adults and larvae die due to the fact that the agent slightly poisons the sap of the plants. For the first time, it is better to make this solution a little stronger than what is written in the instructions for the preparation. It is absolutely safe for the flower, but the pest is guaranteed to disappear. If the flower is very badly damaged, you can spray it with Aktara. This must be done 3 times in a row with a break a week.
2. Confidor. Usually, one watering is enough to completely eliminate pests. The product must be diluted according to the instructions and water the root of the plant. You can replace Confidor with drugs such as Admir, Applaud and Kopfidor.
3. Akarin. This is an excellent remedy not only for whiteflies, but also for most other plant pests. They need to spray plants, preferably only places where insects accumulate. Acarin acts both through the sap of the plant and 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 lasts for 20-25 days. Therefore, one spraying is quite enough.

After the plant has been chemically treated, it can be placed in a bag and tied. You need to keep it for at least 1-2 hours for the drug to work more effectively. Then the plant must be washed well under a strong stream of water and put in place.

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

Preventive measures

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

The air temperature should not exceed 15-16 ° C. The greenhouse should be painted and the entire area removed from old grass. In winter, it is better to open the greenhouse so that it freezes well. And purchased seedlings should always be carefully checked for infection.

As for indoor plants, it is necessary:

• do not allow water to stagnate in the pallets;
• do not put flowerpots 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 buying a new indoor plant, it is necessary to arrange quarantine for it for at least a week;
• from time to time, wash the plant and wipe the leaves, if there are no contraindications to this.

And remember, if the soil for planting plants is mixed independently, all components must be sterilized!

If a whitefly infects a plant, it will not be easy to get rid of it. It is very difficult to destroy insect eggs, and insects multiply and spread quickly. Therefore, the first time a whitefly is found, it is necessary to take urgent measures to destroy it.

Video: fighting whitefly

Lovers of indoor plants, no matter how well and correctly they care for indoor plants, sooner or later they encounter pests such as whitefly, thrips and spider mites.

Houseplants

Insects cause a lot of trouble and, if not dealt with, will destroy the plants. If a whitefly starts up on indoor plants, how to deal with annoying insects so as not to harm the household and cure the flowers?

How to deal with whitefly on indoor plants

Whitefly is a small insect with a body length of no more than 2-2.5 mm. White pollen on the wings of the pest resembles flour in structure. They settle on the inner side of the leaf, lay eggs there. After 8-10 days, larvae emerge from the eggs. To fight the larvae, which go through 4 stages in their development, you need to know that it is not so easy to wash them off with water, because the larvae are attached to the leaf with a white sticky mixture.

Whitefly preparations

The fight against larvae and adults should include complex processing, since their life cycle differs from each other. The first step is to hit the whitefly intestines with chemicals. Thus, mass destruction of plants can be reduced. The means of mass destruction include Aktara, Admiral, Kinmiks. All preparations are diluted strictly in accordance with the instructions and sprayed with indoor plants.

Whitefly on a houseplant

To speed up the process of getting rid of insects, you can spill an earthen lump with a solution with preparations. This can be done with pelargoniums. After the solution enters the soil, the root system absorbs all the chemical composition, which is subsequently absorbed by the vegetative parts of the plant. The whitefly feeds on the sap of "poisoned" plants and dies. It is better to use "Aktara" as an aggressive component.

Everyone knows that the whitefly reproduces very quickly and produces large offspring. In case of massive damage, one spraying will not be enough. You will need to do a little differently. When inspecting a plant for damage caused, it is necessary to tear off all damaged leaves, rinse the entire flower under running water and only then treat with an insecticide. In case of mass destruction, "Komfidor", "Talstar" are used, which are also bred in accordance with the instructions.

Sometimes only one specific preparation is not enough, since whiteflies, their larvae and laid eggs can be found simultaneously on one plant. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out the treatment with complex products three times with an interval of 7 days.

Depending on the type of plant, you will have to choose a specific preparation. For example, in order to destroy a whitefly on fuchsia, in addition to using chemical preparations, you will need to use mechanical means: catch insects with adhesive tape, which is used to catch flies, and from time to time rinse the foliage under running water.

How to get rid of whitefly with folk remedies

If single individuals are found, garlic tincture will come to the rescue. To prepare it, you will need to chop 100 g of garlic, boil 500 ml of water and pour the chopped product. To make the infusion concentrated, you will need to insist in a dark place for a week. A concentrated infusion is not suitable for spraying, it can lead to burns on the leaves. To reduce the percentage, you will need to dilute the solution with water in a percentage ratio of 5 g per 1 liter of water.

In case of mass infection, one garlic - "not a warrior in the field", a dandelion will come to his aid. You will need to take fresh dandelion foliage weighing 50 g, roots - 40 g, chop and put in a container. Pour 1 liter of boiled water and let stand for 2 hours. Strain the product before use. If one treatment is not enough, the second is carried out 7 days after the first.

In addition to processing with infusion of garlic and dandelion, it is important to use additional means of control. The use of laundry soap showed a good effect. You will need to dissolve the soap in water, after rubbing it on a grater, moisten a rag in the resulting solution and wipe the foliage of plants with it.

You need to wipe the underside of the leaf, since it is from the bottom that whitefly colonies settle.

Miracle trap

Whiteflies, unlike other pests, adore yellow. It is advisable to take this fact into account and direct it against the insects themselves. As an additional tool, you need to hang up traps, both for flies and made by yourself.

To make a miracle trap, you need to take a strip of cardboard, grease it with something sticky yellow, for example, petroleum jelly, rosin, resin or castor oil. The smell, of course, is unpleasant, but in this way you can deal with pests.

Prevention

To reduce the likelihood of whitefly appearing on indoor plants, it is not recommended to bring bouquets of flowers made from garden plants into the house, since in the summer this is how the whitefly appears in the house.

Inspection of a flower from a store

It is clear that one cannot do without airing the room, but insects fly into the house through the window, so the windows must be protected. When buying a new plant at a flower shop, it is important to carefully examine it for unexpected guests, and in the house to put it separately from other indoor flowers so that it can adapt.

How to spot thrips on houseplants

At home, you can see thrips on indoor plants: how to deal with small insects that settle on violets, ficuses, citrus fruits, begonias and roses and their population is more than 2000 species?

Thrips can be recognized by their description. These are small pests with an elongated yellow body. Sometimes you can find individuals with dark brown and black bodies. Adult specimens have a pair of wings.
The larvae are rather small in size, with a body length not exceeding 1 mm. To understand that these are thrips, you can take a good look at him, they jump. There are minor differences between males and females, and they consist in the fact that females look slimmer and have a shorter body than males.

They settle on the vegetative parts of plants, feed on sap from leaves, stems of flowers. The danger is that they multiply rapidly. After laying eggs, after 10 days, numerous colonies of pests appear. But they become adults after a month.

Trips on indoor flowers

You can understand that thrips are present on plants by discolored areas on the foliage. In addition, all the foliage will be strewn with through punctures - black dots. Brown and dark spots will be clearly visible on the lower part of the leaf plate.

In the process of life, thrips leave behind sticky secretions, which not only spoil the appearance of the plant, but are also a breeding ground for the development of fungal diseases.

How to get rid of thrips on houseplants

It is very difficult to fight with thrips, he will not give up so easily, you need to be ready for this.
Getting rid of the pest should begin with hygiene procedures. First, you need to inspect all specimens of indoor flowers for thrips infestation. Diseased plants will have to be transferred to the bathroom and thoroughly rinsed under the shower.

In case of mass defeat, you will first have to remove all adults, this can be done with a vacuum cleaner. Next, you need to get rid of the larvae, they can be removed with cotton swabs. On examination, you will have to remove all damaged foliage, cut flowers. If a large part is damaged, you will have to completely trim the stem to a healthy part.

During pest control, first of all, it is necessary to pick off all the flowers, not sparing them, since most of the adults settle in them, because flowers are liked not only by people, but also by insects.

In addition, the plant spends a lot of energy on flowering, which means, spending energy, a weakened flower may soon die. The treatment with chemicals affects the flowers and they lose their attractiveness. After processing, you will need to remove the plant from the old pot, transplant it into new soil. The place where the flower stood will also need to be treated with chemicals.

Preparatory measures will not free from pests, it is necessary to apply insecticide treatment.
To combat thrips use "Aktelik", "Fitoverm" and "Agravertin". In order for Fitoverm to give a positive result, you need to know that spraying with a diluted agent is effective only at room temperatures above + 20 ° C. To improve the result, you can add a drop of liquid soap or shampoo to the solution. In addition to these drugs, you can use "Intavir", "Karate", "Confidor". The treatment should be repeated after 1 week.

Thrips develop when the soil is kept dry for a long time. To prevent insect infestation, you need to check the soil regularly and water it as needed.
Plants love showers, so give them more rain baths. You can hang sticky tapes near the flower pots to catch insects that have accidentally entered the house.

How to find a tick

The insect is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, unless only under a microscope. At first, it is impossible to understand that a tick has appeared on the plant. Only after a while on the underside of the foliage can you see a thin silvery cobweb. Over time, this cobweb will envelop the entire plant.

When settling on a plant, the mite pierces the leaf with its thin and long proboscis and sucks out all the nutrients and sap from the flowers. The area around the puncture will eventually discolor or acquire a yellow tint. Over time, many dots merge together and form a solid dark spot.
Punctures lead to diseases of the plant, it weakens and may die. Young leaves and shoots are especially fond of ticks. Almost all indoor plants suffer from ticks: roses, violets, fuchsias, ficuses, hibiscus.

Many growers are afraid to carry out tick treatment on plants with fleecy leaves. Do not be afraid, as all types of indoor flowers respond well to chemical treatment.

How to fight at home

A spiderweb flare is wound up on indoor plants: how to deal with insects if they are pests that quickly get used to a certain type of acaricides. That is, if spraying with one drug is carried out, then the next generation of ticks will have a stable immunity to the chemical. Therefore, during processing, it is necessary to constantly alternate acaricides.

Mites love low humidity along with high indoor temperatures. This environment is favorable for their reproduction. A particular peak in population growth occurs during the hot summer months.

Decorative fountain among indoor flowers

For preventive purposes, many flower growers often recommend spraying the foliage of plants. However, practice has shown that frequent spraying does not give a positive result, since the water evaporates very quickly from the leaves. A way out can be found if you buy artificial air humidifiers: decorative fountains. If the family budget is limited, you can independently increase the humidity in the room by placing saucers of water near the plants or hanging the batteries with wet towels. In humid conditions, the mite population will not increase at this rate.

Plants need a hot shower, but on one condition that it is short-lived. It will not harm the flowers, but scald the ticks. The water temperature during processing should be within + 45-48 ° C. When arranging a hot shower, you need to try to get the stream of water on the underside of the leaves.

Ways to fight flowers

Biological, chemical and folk methods of dealing with harmful insects are common among flower growers.

Biological

Under natural conditions, phytoseiulus, a large mite, is a threat to the spider mite. It is clear that it is impossible to breed another individual at home, but it can be used if indoor plants are grown in crop farms.

Chemical

The spider mite quickly gets used to the drugs, so fighting with insecticides will not bring the desired result, you will have to use acaricides:

Contact acaricides are most suitable for mite control at home.

There are many different ways to control pests. And first of all, the preparation of solutions is based on odorous plants. But the use of folk remedies is not always effective, pests continue to multiply rapidly.

A pest called whitefly affects indoor plants: balsams, begonias, geraniums, gerberas and gloxinia. Orchids, fuchsias, indoor pomegranates and dwarf tomatoes suffer from insects.

Whitefly spreads from one infected plant to all indoor flowers. If larvae or flying specimens of this pest are found on one representative of the ornamental flora, the following measures are taken:

Important! It will not be possible to remove the whitefly from the first time - it will need to be re-treated after 5-7 days. Folk remedies do not harm ornamental plants.

Folk methods for indoor flowers

The first stage of exposure to folk remedies is a thorough rubbing of the leaves. For this you need:

Feature! The drug should not be whipped into foam and allowed to get into the soil.

On the list of simple and reliable mixtures against whitefly - infusions of garlic or tobacco. For the first you need:

1. Chop 3 garlic cloves.
2. Pour 1 liter of water into the raw material and let it brew for a day in a dark place.
3. Spray the infected leaves with the prepared infusion.

For tobacco infusion you should:

1. Take 1 pack of cigarettes and grind the tobacco.
2. Pour raw materials with 1 liter of water and remove in a dark place for 5 days.
3. Strain the ready infusion and spray it on the diseased plant.

The procedure is repeated every 5-7 days in order to destroy whiteflies at all stages of development.

Adhesive traps and tapes

In between treatments of indoor plants with folk or industrial means, special traps are used for pest control. These devices are a piece of cardboard on which there is a layer of a substance that is safe for humans, but attractive to whiteflies.

Traps are easy to make yourself. To do this, cut small pieces of thick cardboard and impregnate them with a mixture of:

• petroleum jelly;
• castor oil;
• honey;
• rosin.

When the blanks are dry, they are placed on a holder next to the pots.

Important! Similar means are used in greenhouses - one product (10 × 10 cm) is enough for 10 sq. m. area.

Sticky tapes for flies can be added to the traps if they are placed in the window opening above the containers with plants.

Fumigator

Flake or liquid fumigators used to control mosquitoes will also help control whiteflies. A number of conditions must be met:

• place fumigators next to plants;
• isolate the room with contaminated flowers (windows and doors);
• remove children and animals from the room.

Vapors from plates and liquids become toxic at high concentrations, therefore, after the procedure, the room should be thoroughly ventilated. While the fumigators are in operation, it is dangerous to be near them.

Fighting chemicals

The following chemicals are suitable for exterminating the whitefly:

Important! Chemical means of influencing the whitefly is the only and truly effective way to defeat this insect. Folk drugs are intended only to provide emergency assistance in case of infection, as well as act as a means of prevention.

How to manually destroy?

Feature! Manual pest control also includes daily inspection of the infested plant and flowers on the same windowsill. If found, adults and larvae should be crushed immediately.

How to fight with biological agents?

Among the biological drugs that effectively affect the whitefly, experts distinguish:

What does a whitefly look like?

The cycle of insect development takes place in the following stages:

1. Adults lay ring-shaped eggs on the leaves of domestic plants.
2. The eggs hatch into larvae, mobile, secreting a dense substance to protect against external influences and fix in the habitat.
3. The larvae form cocoons in which the organs of future adult insects are laid.
4. Individuals emerge from cocoons, attach to plant leaves and begin to actively feed.

Description

Outwardly, the whitefly looks like a small moth with the following characteristics:

• body length - about 0.9 mm;
• body color of an adult is yellow, wings are white, without spots and blotches;
• the head is supplied with thin light yellow antennae.

Of the 200 species of whiteflies, decorative flora are harmed by:

Basically, the greenhouse whitefly, which actively reproduces in a favorable (warm and humid) atmosphere, is a danger to domestic flowers.

Photo

In the photo, you can clearly see the plants on which the whiteflies settled:

Adult whiteflies are small, but you can see them, especially when the insects gather in swarms. The larvae are noticeable by traces of their vital activity, which remain on the leaves.

Reasons for the appearance on plants

• the presence of a favorable habitat (high humidity and significant heat);
• the spread of pests from a diseased plant or by transplanting flowers into soil infested with larvae;
• adults entering through the window;
• moving a pest from a room greenhouse, in which cuttings and seedlings have taken root.

Signs of indoor flower infestation

Visually, whitefly infection is detected by the following manifestations:

When these symptoms appear, you should not only immediately isolate the affected plant, but also check the condition of the neighboring bushes.

• elimination of stagnation of water in pallets under the pots after watering;
• placing plants at a distance from each other, avoiding increased crowding;
• quarantine up to 7 days for each new flower;
• regular disposal of bushes from dead branches, dried leaves and inflorescences;
• keeping the plant in conditions of regular ventilation;
• using only tested or thoroughly sterilized soil;
• shower days - regular wiping of leaves and washing them under running cool water;
• the use of growth stimulants and fertilizers.

The health of ornamental plants depends on how much the owner takes care of them. The correct growing conditions, attentive attitude to the slightest changes in the condition, correctly applied top dressing - all this is the key to the health of flowers.