“If winter comes, can spring be far behind” was
written by ‘Shelly’ in a poem called ‘Ode to the West Wind’. Let me modify with
due respects to the poet, “if aphids come, can mealy bugs be far behind”.
Plants are delicate and have to be cared for. With
the onset of summers, the heat starts to take its toll. It is not only the
scorching sun which causes burns, but the water in the pots evaporates faster
than one can imagine. Besides, most of us who use plastic pots, the contents
inside reach high temperature, half boiling the roots. Shade does help, but the
plant has to fight its own battle. ‘Hot West Winds of Rajasthan’ need not have
an ode written for them.
A week back, we had a massive Aphid attack on
our waterlilies. So, during my morning/evening inspection, I make it a point to
shuffle through the leaves of all plants for a thorough check. This is the time
when insect attacks take place. They are called “Mealy Bugs”. Aphid’s sister.
Mealybugs are small, soft-bodied
insects. They are sap-sucking pests like aphids. They appear as tiny white,
cottony clusters on stems, leaves, and roots. Mealy bugs draw their name from
the white, powdery, flour-like wax coating on their bodies. This wax protects
them from dehydration, predators, and even many pesticides.
The bugs get attracted to soft
and tender growth of plants. Some weak plants emit signals that pests can
detect. The major reason is over fertilizing. Additional nitrogen content in
the plant is what these bugs love to chew on. Therefore, leaf joints, nodes and
underside of the leaves are the best places where they begin their attack from.
These tiny crawlers get carried
by winds/rain. Ants give them protection because they love the ‘honeydew’ which
these bugs produce, In the bargain, ants carry them piggy back from plant to
plant. Overlapping and over hanging branches also assist in the transfer of
these pests.
If you see ants climbing up a
plant, please keep an eye on it. There are chances that they are on the way to
collect juices which these bug’s release.
These bugs have ‘piercing mouth
parts; which cause yellowing of leaves, stunted growth, deformed leaves and
leaf drop. All this reduces photosynthesis. They basically are plant killers,
if the infestation spreads all over the plant.
Ladybugs and some types of wasps
love to have them for breakfast. A natural way of keeping mealy bugs at bay. Or
else, a strong water jet dislodges them. The danger is the place where they
fall could also get infested. The earlier they get noticed, the easier they are
to eradicate with spray of ‘neem oil’.
I had my home-made concoction ready
which I used for aphids. In a 2l can, I mixed two sachets of handwash and hand
sanitizer. Some Dettol and Lizol, the floor cleaner. The container was
pressurised and a mist was sprayed on the affected part of the hibiscus bush
they had attacked.
The rain yesterday must have been
the carrier of these bugs and now they have been taken care of. The plant was
showing new buds and would have blossomed shortly.
These bugs can survive under
harsh conditions due to their wax coating. They even get embedded in the soil
and stay dormant till they find ideal conditions to attack. Unless destroyed
they can reinfest the plant.
I do not recommend pesticides as
such. My homemade concoction is chemical too but quite mild as compared to the
ones available in the market. The idea is to penetrate their white wax coating
and block their breathing apparatus. Once they choke, they die and fall off.
Ideal time to spray is in the
morning when the sun is about to come up. After the spray wets them, the summer
sun scorches them to death. If the infestation still persists, then do not
hesitate to spray again till the time their attack has been thwarted. If they
still continue, then a pesticide will have to be used. The only drawback is
that birds and other insects get distracted by chemicals. That call is yours.
As they say, “a stitch in time
saves nine”, so it is better to save nine plants from getting infected by one
inspection and an early spray. Sometimes, the infested branch has to be pruned
and thrown away. One may lose a few flower buds. Never mind! It is necessary to
save the plant.
https://youtube.com/shorts/XuQGJ7zlHy4?feature=share
Have your plants been infested by
mealy bugs? I wonder!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
© ® NOEL ELLIS
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