Content
- Combat insect lice on olive tree effectively and sustainably
- Scale insects damage olive tree
- How can you detect an infestation with scale insects?
- Control of scale insects
- Tips & Tricks
Combat insect lice on olive tree effectively and sustainably
Scale insects are a real plague: Their hard shell protects them well against contact poisons. In addition, each female lays around 2019 eggs per year - so the animals are not only persistent, but also spread quickly. Our tips will help you to detect and contain a louse infestation.
Scale insects damage olive tree
Scale insects are very hard to recognize. Since the females in particular are immobile, they protect themselves by a hard shell from external influences. Under this sign the animals suck up plant sap and thus valuable nutrients, in addition they give a poison into the plant circulation, which brings the host gradually to the death. Also under the sign the female lays about from June until 2019 eggs, from which then the larvae hatch. In contrast to the adult scale insects, the larvae are mobile and migrate to other parts of plants and neighboring plants. Shield lice excrete a sweet honeydew, which attracts other pests, such as ants or the Sternrußtau? Fungus.
How can you detect an infestation with scale insects?
Scale insects are usually only seen when the infestation is already very advanced. The tiny creatures camouflage themselves excellently by a plant adapted color, moreover, they are mostly to be found on the underside of leaves. Examine your olives (and also the other houseplants) regularly for a louse attack. At this indicator, you recognize a current infestation:
Control of scale insects
In most cases, only chemicals help against the stubborn scale insects. So-called lice sticks, which you put into the plant substrate, are best suited. These contain a poison that transports the plant with the sap to the lice. As a result, the animals die. You can also mix a little oil (do not use rapeseed oil, olives do not!) With water and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the plant with this mixture and repeat the process every few days. The oil clogs the respiratory tract of the scale insects and causes them to die off. Furthermore, a mechanical killing is possible: spray the scales with soapy water and wipe them off with a spoon or similar. In any case, you should however separate the infested olive tree, as the infestation can otherwise spread to other plants.
Tips & Tricks
Scale insects infest mostly weakened plants that suffer from light deficiency and / or are too warm. As preventive measures you should set your olive tree as sunny as possible and not too warm - especially in winter!