Shield: photo of the pest, and what it is and how it looks, where it comes from indoor plants, what is dangerous for flowers and how to deal with it at home?

It is so insulting when a favorite plant becomes ill or pests attack it. Symptoms of these phenomena are similar, but it is important to make a diagnosis in time - a disease or attack in order to properly carry out rescue measures.

The shield is one of the most treacherous enemies of the plant world. If you do not take action, a plant affected by these small but numerous pests quickly dies.

What is it and what does it look like: description and photo

Scutellaria (Diaspididae) are representatives of the superfamily of worms, from the family of Hemoptera sucking insects. There are about 2400 species. The body on top is covered with a wax shield (hence the name).

Females of this pest are very different from males. They have no legs, wings, eyes, antennae, but they have a perfectly developed pricking - sucking mouth. The body is not segmented. While the specimens are young, the scutellum is just beginning to form and therefore soft. Insects move easily during this period. As soon as the shield ripens - they freeze, sit in one place.

The carapace covers an adult in whole or in part, looks convex or flat. It consists of the skin of the larva and the secretory part, so at different stages of formation, the color of the shell changes, it may not be monophonic.

Scaffolds in the garden are larger than indoor ones, they are up to 4-5 mm long.

Males have eyes, formed paws and even wings, but their mouth is reduced. The body is clearly divided into the head, breast and abdomen. The males are white, covered with fluff, less often reddish, with a grayish tint. They have a small shield.

The eggs of the scutellum are tiny, oval, are slightly elongated, white or gray. On plants, pests look like plaques.

In order not to confuse the shield with the false shield, check how the removable carapace is separated. If, after removing the shield, the insect sits on the sheet, as if nothing had happened - in front of you is a shield. In a false shield, the carapace is part of the body.

How many pests live and how do they multiply?

At the female, the tip of the shield is elongated and rounded - there are all fertilized eggs. The body of the female gradually dries up so that the house for children is released. All masonry will live under the shield until the end of May, or until the temperature reaches 8-9 degrees.

Strollers emerge from the eggs and begin to spread throughout the plant very actively. Especially love new shoots, twigs, greens appearing. A vagabond matures for three months and then mates.

Males in the family are about 25%. Immediately after mating, they die.

New masonry starts at the end of summer. The full circle of development of insects is one year: 9-10 months, eggs mature, 35-65 days of larva, 3 months of the female. In the southern regions, they are able to regenerate twice a year.

Interesting: there are few males, because parthenogenesis is characteristic of insects - reproduction, when females do not need to mate and grow themselves, without males.

Parthenogenesis is the cause of the fecundity of scale insects at home. Females breed without fertilization all year round, replacing generations. Male indoor insects are rarely seen and they look strange. To some gardeners, they seem gluttonous and terrible. Males for plants are harmless - they simply have nothing to eat. With or without cavaliers, the cyclic life of parasites does not stop.

Harm to plants

Regardless of developmental phase and age, scale insects are dangerous pests. Eating juices, for 3-3.5 years they are able to kill a tree. In warm regions, when infection with this insect is detected, quarantine of harsh measures is declared. In such periods, the import of seedlings is prohibited, all gardens and plantations are treated with pesticides.

Indoor individuals, settling on one plant, destroying it, perfectly migrate to neighboring ones.

And they bring them into the house with planting material, with flowers from the store, with soil. Some strollers are brought by the wind (yes!).

Signs of infection

At the earliest stage of the lesion, scabbard is difficult to notice, but possible. Small insects can be seen if vision allows, and if not, use a magnifier. Insects run very fast - it gives them. They carefully examine the leaves, the stem - the movement is noticeable. This moment is the best for a retaliatory attack.

Adults are visible with the naked eye. Cherished den - the reverse side of the sheet. They can hide at the points of attachment of leaves to the branch. Scabies resemble plaques. Once you see them you will not be confused with other insects.

A dangerous sign is a sticky coating on the leaves (pad). Sometimes there are so many of it that it flows down onto the windowsill. Sticky fluid exacerbates the situation, because it provokes the development of soot fungus. Where the scab has sucked:

Yellowish spots appear, they increase, the leaf turns yellow and becomes brown completely, twists and falls off.
The plant does not grow, dries and dies.

Scutellaria is very fond of the fruits of citrus fruits, their ovaries fall, the flowers dry.

Where does it come from indoor flowers?

The main reason for the appearance of insects is improper care of plants. Pests attack weakened, nitrogen-fed plants. Most often, this happens in the winter: a short light period, air overdried by batteries - weaken the immunity of colors. Ideal conditions are created for the successful propagation of parasites.

A pest may enter the house:

With a purchased plant, with garden land.
You can bring it on yourself.
It can fly into an open window.

In a word, the scale insect in every possible way seeks to find a new habitat.

Habitat

Scabies are common in warm regions around the world, and they prefer to settle:

along the central vein of the leaf from below;
adore thick, fleshy leaves, shoots, petioles.

Female scale insects - the only one of the land animals, in the process of developing an individual cycle, comes to an absolutely motionless lifestyle and continuous nutrition.

How to fight?

Noticing the slightest signs of scabies - instantly isolate the affected plant. Check all the neighbors on the windowsill. Adults are protected from chemicals by a shield, however, they can be removed manually. The truth will take a lot of time, and most importantly - patience.

You can use a cotton disk, a toothbrush (for compacted leaves), a sponge (for delicate leaves):

It is moistened with the prepared solution, the plant is thoroughly cleaned: leaves, trunk, branches, all sinuses. If insects are not visible on the leaf, they will nevertheless be cleaned. Indeed, if at least one larva remains, in a week there will be the same number of scale insects. For this procedure, any dishwashing detergent, tar or laundry soap 72% is suitable.
Beat the foam, leave it on the leaves for half an hour, rinse with hot water (up to 45-50 degrees) from the shower for 4 minutes. By doing this every 7 days, you can destroy the scale without chemicals.

Plants that cannot stand such torture will have to be sprayed and poured with a pesticide. A single treatment will not help, since the flap saves the female and her oviposition. The plant is completely immersed in a solution of chemicals and soaked, or watered with an insecticide.

Attention! If there is a child in the house, asthmatics or allergies, if it is impossible to ventilate the apartment for a long time, if there are pregnant women, do not spray the plants with chemicals.

Struggling with scale insects, they often use folk methods, but they are ineffective.

Methods for controlling the scale are described here.

Preventative measures

In order to avoid infection with the scale shield and not to engage in a long struggle with it, follow some rules:

Every two weeks, they inspect the plants, combining with top dressing, wiping the leaves from dust.
Parasites love weakened plants, so it is important to consider the biological subtleties of growing and caring for a home garden.
In a saucer under a flowerpot, stagnant water is never left.
Together with water, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and special compounds is carried out.
Having bought a plant, quarantine it for 2 weeks.

Plants decorate our lives and cannot complain, ask for help. But with all their looks they tell us about problems and offenders, illnesses and failures. Having found the slightest suspicion of the presence of a scale insect, measures should be taken immediately and the victim injured from hordes of this very dangerous parasite.