Have you recently discovered a white, pink or even brown film on your jaw? Also, is your conifer in poor condition? Then he is probably suffering from a mealybug infestation. This pest likes to use pine trees to lay eggs. Still, there is no need to worry. With the following tips you can quickly get rid of the troublemaker.
Mealybugs can only be seen with the naked eye as white cotton balls
The mealybug
Mealybugs are a subspecies of scale insects. More than 1000 species of the pest are known. They are only 1 to 12 mm in size, have a dark green, white, pink, brown or black body and nest in various conifers. Especially in the spring from April to June there is an increased risk. On branches and twigs they form a lubricating hair. They also excrete so-called honeydew, a secretion that promotes the formation of the sooty mold fungus.
symptoms
The following signs on your jaw point to the mealybug:
- Needles turn yellow
- needles bend
- white waxy wool on the needles
- Needles die off completely
- Formation of the sooty mold
Causes of an infestation
There may be a maintenance error behind the infestation. Check your jaws for the following:
- introduced mealybug that was already sitting on the tree when you bought it
- too little light
- too nitrogenous fertilizer
- dry, warm heating air
- weakened trees
combat
A few days ago the needles of your jaws were covered with mealybugs, now they are suddenly gone. Unfortunately, that's too good to be true. This observation is common, but it is a fallacy. The pests only withdraw, but reappear at the latest in the following year. Mealybugs also have a waxy covering that protects them from chemicals. Nonetheless, tackle them with these tools:
- isolate the affected plant from the rest of the stand
- dip a cloth in alcohol and wipe the lice off the needles
- the smell of melissa spirit drives away the vermin
- cut off affected leaves
- Continue to spray the plant with lime-free water