How to protect dieffenbachia from pests, and why they appear

Rarely what kind of person does not like flowers, and especially if they are grown on their own. And how is it a shame if our room friends start to get sick. As the doctors say, the correct diagnosis is half the treatment. So let's establish the diagnosis of dieffenbachia on the main signs of plant disease.

  • Ways to combat spider mite
  • What are dangerous shchitovki and pseudo shield on the plant?
  • How to deal with aphids on dieffenbachia
  • Curling and drying leaves, how to protect dieffenbachia from thrips
  • Mealworms control measures

Did you know? Dieffenbachia has a second name - dumb cane.

Ways to combat spider mite

If you saw that dieffenbachia was covered with cobwebs - this is the first symptom of a spider mite. The size of the tick varies from 0.3 to 0.5 mm, females are purple-red, males are bright red.

Dry warm rooms serve as a favorable environment for its habitat, which is why it is dangerous all year round, located on the back side of the leaf. Dieffenbachia leaves infected with spider mites turn yellow and dry.

These pests are insidious by the fact that in the event of unfavorable conditions for their reproduction, the female can dig into the ground and fall into a state of rest, before the onset of conditions suitable for life processes.

One female tick lays up to 150 eggs at a time. As soon as you notice that dieffenbachia on the web immediately begin to act, because over the summer one female can lay 8-10 generations of eggs.

If the flower is not strongly affected, you can wash its shoots and leaves with a solution of soapy water or water tincture of garlic. In case of intensive damage, you must use insecticides, or colloidal sulfur.

Important! In the case of contact of the flower juice on the skin, it is necessary to immediately wash it off with soap and water, as it is very poisonous.

What are dangerous shchitovki and pseudo shield on the plant?

The first symptom of infection of the flower with the shield is the appearance of yellow dots on the trunk and leaves, which increase in size over time. Then the leaves turn yellow, spinning and falling.

The resettlement of shintovok and pseudo shield occurs by air flow When attached to a leaf or stem, they look like scales or growths, causing the plants to slow down, their leaves fall off and the flower disappears.

The false guards, unlike the scutes, do not have a dense shell, which is why insecticides act on them faster.

To destroy this type of pest we need:

  • brush or soft sponge,
  • a solution of soapy water, a tincture of garlic, or an insecticide solution.
Shitovok and pseudo-flaps are removed from dieffenbachia, wiping each sheet from both sides, shoots and even a place around the pot soaked in the preparation with a brush.

Did you know? The plant has cleansing and bactericidal properties. Its leaves absorb toxic substances from the air.

How to deal with aphids on dieffenbachia

Especially great harm to flowers does aphid. Insect sizes reach two mm, females do not have wings, males do. Color pests can be very diverse: from light green to yellow, red or even pink.

Settling large colonies on young leaves or sprouts, they suck the juice from the flowers, causing them to deform and suffer viral diseases.

Signs that diefenbachia aphid attacked is the loss of plant original color, twisting and shedding the leaves, as well as the presence of a sticky layer.

Important! In order to avoid poisoning of children, it is necessary to place the flower in a hard-to-reach place.
To get rid of aphids, remove it from infected flower fragments, treat it with a solution of soapy water with kerosene, or spray the plant with a systemic insecticide.

If the flower is strongly amazed, it is better to cut the leaves and shoots. If necessary, repeat the treatment after 7-10 days.

Curling and drying leaves, how to protect dieffenbachia from thrips

One of the many dangerous for diphenbachia pests are thrips, because their reproduction is not affected by temperature fluctuations.

The body of thrips is narrow with two pairs of wings, 1.5 mm long. The color is thrips black or brown, the larvae are yellow.

Diffenbachia affected by thrips, discolored and covered with gray spots. Soon the leaves turn brown and peel off.

The main damage to these sucking pests (both adults and larvae) inflict peduncles, which are covered with divorce and distorted.

In addition, the plant is covered with a sticky black substance, on which a black fungus can appear. To control this type of insect, flycatchers and insecticide spraying will be effective.

Did you know? Dieffenbachia got its name in honor of the German botanist JF Dieffenbach.

Mealworms control measures

Another pest Dieffenbachia is a mealybug.The oval body of an adult individual reaches three to four millimeters and is distinguished by a pink or orange color, with a characteristic white patina (sacs with eggs).

Mealybugs gather in colonies on the underside of leaves or on the tips of young shoots, drinking juice from a flower. They lay their offspring in clumps of white cobwebs, and the flower, struck by them, becomes like artificial snow made of cotton wool.

The Cherry bug depletes the plant: shoot growth is slowed down, leaves turn yellow and showered. A black fungus can appear on the mucus produced by parasites.

When fighting this pest, its eggs are removed from the flower with a cotton swab or a damp sponge. Then the infected place is washed with a sponge moistened in soapy water or alcohol diluted with water or vodka. If the flower is very affected by worms, it is better to resort to etching with systemic insecticides.