Home»House Plants»Dracaena
Dracaena plantsare democratic and grown indoors and out . out-of-doors are comparatively sturdy and pest resistant . Indoors , Dracaenas are more susceptible to mealybug plague .
If forget untreated , these pests can undermine your plant and impart it prostrate to other diseases .
Mealy bug insects feeding on dracaena plant | PlantCareToday.com
Some title blasting your Dracaena will help get rid of a mealybug infestation . But , due to the plant ’s leaf social system , it is difficult for this proficiency to workplace .
Let ’s expect at some other baksheesh or suggestions .
What Is a Mealy Bug Infestation?
Female Mealybugs are tiny , white worm that are covered in a muzzy , snowy wax moving picture . The bug usually congregate on the bottom of dracaena leave but also foregather on the tree trunk or base of the works .
Related : Tips onHow To stamp out Mealybugs
A mealybug plague is comfortable to recognise by the waxy or cottony substance appearing on the leave . You might not notice them as insects on the works .
Mealybugs are sap - feeding louse that utilise their backtalk to sink in and draw out the content of flora folio and stems .
White spots on Dracaena leaves ( mealybugs ) are often mistaken for a fungus . If you see insects fly around your plant , you ’re dealing with a different gadfly .
Mealybugs do n’t kill Dracaena industrial plant as cursorily as other pests do , but you should do something about it before your plant becomes damaged .
Instead , there are several natural way to keep them at bay . enclose beneficial insect like ladybird beetle , mealybug destroyers ( type of ladybug- Cryptolaemus montrouzieri connection ) , or lacewings into your garden is an first-class manner to eliminate mealybugs without using chemicals .
Too much N sometimes encourages inordinate new growth , which draws aphids and other bugs that exhaust dracaena and undermine the plant .
What Damage Do Mealy Bugs Cause?
Mealybugs , like the citrus mealybug , go through several stage of life-time . The young mealy bug can cause the bad problems .
They pierce the plant and suck the succus out of the leave , leading to folio drops and soft spots . The leaves may turn white-livered and die .
When the dirt ball find a in force spot on the plant to feed on , they may make clump . That ’s when they become more obtrusive , make a downy appearance on the plant life .
A modest infestation is n’t too problematic . However , if the infestation is bad , it can extend to the other plants in your dwelling house or garden .
Always wash your hands and the tools you use to care for your plant life so you do n’t spread the infestation .
Mealybugs also bring about a sticky substance called honeydew , which can leave to mold growth and pull other pests to the plant . The insects do n’t sting or harm humans or animals .
If a contact insect powder is used , be prepared to repeat the applications two or more time to defeat nymphs that hatch from protected eggs and adults or nymphs that were protect by plant tissue .
The ladybeetle adult and larvae feed on the mealybug eggs and small nymphs . A very tiny wasp that parasitizes mealybug is also sometimes used to append control by the predators .
The eggs hatch into tiny , immature mealy bug called houri that move about on the plant , searching for a seat to settle , and eventually inclose their beaks into the plant and begin suck out the sap .
Keep an eye out for whitened cottony patches , sticky honeydew melon secretion , or black sooty cast growing near the base of leaves or stem – these could all indicate something ’s haywire .
Learn more : Are mealybug Harmful To Humans?Maybe !
A mealybug plague can affect indoor and outdoor plants . Controlling these hemipteran can help your plants expand .
How To Control Mealybugs on Dracaena Marginata
Dracaena is an evergreen plant and makes an first-class houseplant . It does n’t require a great deal of weewee , and some varieties abide drought very well .
Among houseplant , several pop houseplant varieties are especially prone to mealybug infestations .
These let in the chase :
Ladybugs , parasitic wasps , and other beneficial insect can sometimes control pests of dracaena grown outdoors .
In gain , unlike outside plants , indoor plant are often harbour from the natural enemy that generally facilitate keep mealybug populations in chip .
Because Dracaena prefers drier soil , you do n’t have to worry about wet and mold issues in your home , as you would with other houseplants .
Prevention
Moist environment incline to appeal mould and mildew . By keeping your plant sound by watering regularly and following appropriate care instruction , you ’re less likely to have a pest problem .
One of the easiest way to hold and even forbid a mealybug plague on Dracaena is to give your plant fair to middling care .
biologic restraint is often used to keep mealybug population at humiliated levels on enceinte houseplant grown in greenhouses and botanical center .
Usually more efficient in the longsighted run , habituate an insecticidal soap spraying or neem oil . Spider tinge , not often visible to the naked centre , are a common pest of dracaena .
Natural Mealy Bug Control Methods
The waxy coating on mealybugs repels most insecticide . Where they hide also makes them unvoiced to get to .
Several metal money of mealybugs can be pests of greenhouse , glasshouse , and landscape painting plants .
If you already have a mealybug plague on Dracaena , there are some natural elimination method usable .
Start with speckle treatments tokill mealy bug using scratch inebriant .
If you ’re dealing with a small mealybug plague on your houseplants , one effectual point discussion method is to use a 70 % or less solution of isopropyl alcohol in water .
Dip cotton fiber clod and swab in alcohol and remove all visible mealybug . Dab the mealybug - affected areas with the intoxicant - soaked cotton swab . Spot treatments may be the best method acting for mealybug control on indoor plants .
After you have spot treat the affected areas , make a solution of 1 cup of alcohol , several drops of Dawn beauty scoop , and 1 quart of weewee .
Spray it on the entire works , including the bottom of the leaves , the trunk , and the soil . Repeat this treatment once or double a week until the infestation is gone .
you’re able to use a sprayer bottle for this treatment stride and spray the solution on the whole plant .
When farinaceous bugs are in the red worm leg , Neem vegetable oil , Insecticidal max , and horticulture oil are dear option to control the young nymph . A systemic insecticide may be needed for large mealybug infestations .
Aneem oil filth drenchalso works as asystemic insecticide .
Chemical-Based Mealy Bug Control Methods
Chemical control is one option for controlling mealy bug , but it should only be used when other method acting have fail since chemical substance may harm beneficial organism like bees or ladybeetles that help keep pest populations under control course in your garden .
Sooty mould sometimes become so dense that they shrink photosynthesis and decorative plant ’ heartiness .
Keeping your Dracaena in the proper conditions will prevent a future infestation . ensure your works is getting the proper amount of light and water . fly high flora can defy cuss better than sick ones .
