scale insect - how to prevent and solve?

[Carlo & Daniele]

Scale insect affect our plants, especially white forms according to our experience, because they can hide themselves better.
The problem is sometimes quite serious. The intent of this topic is to know which kind of measures you use to prevent and solve this problem. It means which kind of p.a. you use or if you have any biological or natural advice.

thanks

Il problema delle cocciniglie è talvolta abbastanza serio per i nostri cactus. Abbiamo notato che queste colpiscono maggiormente le piante bianche (onzuka per esempio) perchè riescono a mimetizzarsi meglio. Questo topic ha l'intento di esporre le misure adottate per prevenire e debellare questo problema (p.a. utilizzato, tecniche naturali, biologiche etc).

grazie a tutti in anticipo per il contributo

[marazz53]

Hi C & D, ...It's a very BIG PROBLEM, especially on Astrophytums cos it is a bit difficult to spot it...As the English say..."It's a pain in the ass"...But for YOU I will solve it...Next week, cos I'm doing some experiments on my plants and I'm in the conclusion of them...

[Carlo & Daniele]

thanks a lot Mario, we are looking forward to see the result of your experiments!

[marazz53]

Hi C&D, With great pleasure, I have successfully KILLED the scale insect invasion that I had, with this product. You can kill them too with surgical spirit.

[marazz53]

Hi C&D, With great pleasure, I have successfully KILLED the scale insect invasion that I had, with this product. You can kill them too with surgical spirit.

[marazz53]

[marazz53]

It is in Maltese, I will translate it for you to English. It says: "Granules that mixes with water, insecticide". It cost me 120 Euros to save my collection from these pests. I never had this invasion of scale insect before. Once I had some Euphorbias with scale insects and I was told to spray with "Olio Cedar" and I killed half of the plants. So you should be happy too with this result, I am very happy.

[Carlo & Daniele]

thanks a lot mario, I will look for it!
But is it sistemic? and does it leave any signs on the plant with the dead insects?

thanks

[fanecchissimo]

cedar oil is a madness in cacti. i tried once and did a total disaster...

i had one similar product, but i have quite no problems with scale insects, because frost and dryness kills most of them, and i just have to control them once a year...

[marazz53]

Hi C&D, Yes it is a systemic insecticide. When they die, you just clean them with a brush, or as I did with a tooth brush.