Pest Control for Flower Sap-Sucking Insects and Identification of Edible Mushroom Diseases
Sap-sucking pests are a group of insects that use needle-like mouthparts to pierce and suck the sap from flower tissues. When affected, the damaged parts of the flowers fade, turn yellow, curl, become deformed, and wilt, and in severe cases the entire plant may die. Some species are also transmitters of plant diseases. Although these pests are small in size, they can cause great damage to flowers. The following four types are commonly seen among sap-sucking pests of flowers.
I. Scale insects: also called mealybugs. The insects are small and numerous in species. Their common feature is that the body is covered with a scale or powdery, cottony waxy secretions, fixed on a certain part of the flower such as leaves or stems, using their mouthparts to suck the sap of flowers, leaves, branches or fruits. Affected plants have yellowing leaves, withered branches, discolored or faded fruit surfaces, early leaf drop and fruit drop. At the same time, their excrement contains honeydew, which can lead to many diseases, and in severe cases can kill the entire plant. These pests produce one or more generations per year and harm all types of flowers. They mainly spread by crawling larvae, which is the best time for spraying insecticides to kill them.
Control methods:
(1) When the infestation is severe, first remove them manually, then spray pesticide for treatment.
(2) When female insects are harming the plant during their fixed stage, use a writing brush to apply 50% "1605" at the base of the stem. For woody flowers, you can use a knife to score the epidermis at the base, then apply the pesticide, so that the plant absorbs the pesticide internally and poisons the insects to death.
(3) Observe frequently, and only spray pesticide during the larval activity period to be effective. You can spray 40% omethoate or 50% fenitrothion at 1000 times dilution, or malathion at 800-1000 times dilution, or 20% fenvalerate at 1500-2000 times dilution, spraying once every 10 days for 2 consecutive times, all of which can achieve ideal results.
II. Aphids: the most common pests among flowers. There are extremely many species of aphids, and they often cluster on the young and tender parts of plants, such as tender tips, young leaves, and young flower buds. The leaf surfaces and tender tips of affected plants are prone to curling and yellowing. Therefore, they can also lead to the occurrence of many diseases. Aphids are also vectors that spread many viral diseases. More than 10 generations occur each year.
Control methods:
(1) Protect natural enemies well, such as ladybugs and lacewings.
(2) Strengthen management, remove weeds, and eliminate overwintering eggs and nymphs.
(3) Spray 40% omethoate at 1000-1500 times dilution, or 10% imidacloprid wettable powder at 2000-3000 times dilution.
III. Red spider mites: a small red insect that is just barely visible to the naked eye. They have miscellaneous feeding habits and harm many kinds of flowers. They use piercing-sucking mouthparts to suck plant sap, causing yellow-white small spots on leaves, which may even spread to the entire leaf, making the leaves quickly wither and fall off, and in severe cases can cause the entire plant to die. These pests produce multiple generations in 1 year, with the most severe damage during the high-temperature season from June to August.
Control methods:
(1) Appropriately increase ventilation, which can reduce the breeding of red spider mites.
(2) Spray and kill with 40% omethoate at 1000 times dilution.
(3) Spray and kill with 1.8% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate at 4000-6000 times dilution. This is a low-toxicity, high-efficiency pesticide specially used to kill red spider mites.
IV. Whiteflies: commonly known as small white moths. They are a very widely distributed pest in open fields and greenhouses. They harm more than 200 kinds of flowers, including jasmine, Chinese rose, and dahlia. Mainly adults and larvae cluster on the undersides of plant leaves to pierce and suck sap. Adults are attracted to yellow. These pests reproduce quickly, with about 1 generation in 20 days, and in large numbers, directly affecting plant growth and development, while also affecting ornamental appearance.
Control methods:
(1) Taking advantage of the adult's attraction to yellow, use yellow plastic boards coated with oil to trap and kill adults.
(2) Protect and utilize natural enemies, such as Encarsia formosa.
(3) Use buprofezin at 2000 times dilution or fenvalerate at 3000 times dilution for spraying.