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Marseille soap
Dilute in half a liter of non-calcareous rainwater, a tablespoon of liquid Marseille soap and a tablespoon of liquid black soap. After the soap has completely dissolved, add 2 tablespoons of 70° alcohol to your solution. With the help of a brush, apply this mixture on the shell of the scale insects so as not to attack your plant, especially if it is orchids. In fact, this insecticide could stain the flowers and burn some roots. After a few days, you will notice that the mealybugs have dried and crumble into dust when you touch them. Therefore, you will get rid of these pests without harming your plant. Note that you can very well replace both soaps with the dishwashing liquid. The main thing is to have soapy water.
Another trick is to dissolve 50 g of Marseille soap flakes in 350 ml of hot water. Mix until the soap is completely dissolved. Then, put on gloves, soak a sponge in this soapy water, and wipe it over the infected leaves of your plant. This way, you will be able to eliminate the scale insects, but also the honeydew that they deposit on the foliage.
To make a natural cochineal spray
Mix in 1 liter of water, a teaspoon of 90° alcohol, a teaspoon of liquid black soap and a teaspoon of vegetable oil, such as olive oil. Spray this solution on the parts of your plant infested by mealybugs, once for 3 to 4 days. Black soap is also a natural repellent against red spiders, scale insects and aphids.
What plants are most affected by mealybugs?
Most green indoor plants are affected, such as succulents, orchids, lilacs, hibiscus, indoor roses, etc.
As for fruit trees, citrus trees are the most sensitive and vulnerable to mealybugs.
Read also: The magic trick to eliminate the scale insect that attacks your plants
Preventing a mealybug attack
These scale insects that attack your indoor plants also have their predators. To avoid a mealybug attack, take your plant out in May and place it in a bright location in partial shade. If mealybugs come to parasitize your plant, they will quickly be gobbled up by ladybugs, hoverflies and wasps.
These solutions will allow you to fight very effectively against mealybugs, to protect your indoor and outdoor plants, but also your orchard or ornamental garden, from an invasion of these pest insects.
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