What to Do When Potted Schefflera Gets Pests? Pest Control Methods Explained

  Schefflera is not only an ornamental plant; it also has a certain effect on purifying household air. It can absorb harmful substances such as nicotine and convert them into substances it needs, making it a beneficial plant. But recently I found that the branches and leaves of my Schefflera secrete a sticky substance that sticks to the hand when touched, almost like glue.

  I looked it up online: this is damage caused by scale insects. The sticky liquid is the secretion of scale insects, and the small yellow spots protruding on the leaves are the waxy coating of scale insects. Scale insects are important pests of woody flowering plants. There are commonly more than ten species causing damage, including armored scales, wax scales, cottony scales, and mealybugs. In mild cases, they cause chlorotic spots on leaves, with obvious pest spots, causing loss of ornamental value. In severe cases, leaves and branches dry up, tree vigor declines, and serious cases can even cause tree death.

  Mealybugs can also secrete large amounts of honeydew, leading to sooty mold, with leaves appearing soot-like. The waxy shell membrane makes many insecticides ineffective. There is a type of Supracide emulsifiable concentrate, an organophosphorus insecticide, whose greatest feature is that it can penetrate the waxy shell or waxy covering on the surface of scale insects and kill the insect bodies underneath and the eggs they have laid. The spraying time is not limited by the insect stage; it can be used at any period when scale insects occur.

  Supracide emulsifiable concentrate has extremely high control efficacy against scale insects. Spraying 1 to 2 times throughout the year can control scale insects very well, and after continuous use for 2 to 3 years, scale insects can basically be eliminated. However, since only one plant currently has pests, spraying pesticide is not cost-effective and will also pollute the environment. It is recommended to find a bamboo strip and scrape them off manually, which gives a better effect.

  So I had no choice but to grit my teeth and cut off the leaves with sticky liquid and insects. I spray some diluted vinegar water every day, and whenever I find even one insect I scrape it off. The battle to protect the Schefflera has only just begun.

  For a small number of pests, you can dip medicinal cotton in diluted alcohol and wipe them off. For large numbers, you can soak garlic in water (the garlic cloves must be chopped up), take the liquid and spray it. You can also put about 20 red chilies (the hotter the better) into a 500 ml cola bottle, soak them in hot water, take the liquid and spray it. If you like smoking, you can soak tobacco shreds in water (wait until the liquid turns dark brown), take the liquid and spray it; the effect is excellent. Note that both the underside and upper side of the leaves must be sprayed, aiming at the insect bodies. If they are not sprayed, there will be no effect. In addition, you can bury 3% carbofuran in the potting soil, or dip medicinal cotton in some dichlorvos pesticide liquid, insert it into the potting soil, then cover it with a plastic bag; the insects will all die within a day.

  This insect is called the Schefflera star-chamber psyllid. Its generations overlap (adults, larvae, and eggs are all present), making it relatively difficult to control. The pesticides include deltamethrin 3000 to 4000 times dilution and omethoate 1000 times dilution, sprayed three times in a row at an interval of 7-10 days, mainly spraying the new shoots. Adults have strong phototaxis, so light trapping can also be used to prevent them from continuing to lay eggs and cause damage.

  If "mealybugs" or "aphids" appear, you can spend 2 yuan to buy a spray bottle (the kind that sprays a mist of water droplets, the kind barbers use to spray water on hair) and go to a place that sells pesticides or flowers to buy a small packet of aphid-killing pesticide, mix it with water and spray it. If you do not have that, just get a brush or paintbrush, dip it in salt water or soapy water, and brush them off directly. After brushing two more times, they will be gone.

  1. The main pest damage is from scale insects. Spray with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution to kill them.

  2. Red spider mites, thrips, and leafminers damage Schefflera leaves. Spray with 10% permethrin emulsifiable concentrate at 3000 times dilution to kill them.

  Pathogen treatment:

  If there is damage from leaf spot disease and anthracnose, spray with 10% antifungal agent 01 acetic acid solution at 1000 times dilution.