Fight cotton mealybugs on your crops with this easy-to-prepare, homemade natural remedy.

We know that taking care of the plants and crops that we have at home must be continuous, and we must pay attention to the maintenance that each one of them needs and thus prevent the pest from reaching them. The pests that usually attack crops are not always the same, but rather the most common Cotton mealybug.

What are cotton mealybugs?

Cotton mealybugs, also known as white mealybugs, are insects belonging to the family pseudococci, They usually live in humid and warm climates. These insects are characterized by sexual dimorphism, which means that females and males are different. but, It is very easy to notice On the leaves or stems of plants, where its white color appears with a cottony appearance, hence its name.

Cotton mealybugs can cause serious damage to crops and are thought to appear when the plant is already sick or weak. It usually feeds on plant sap, therefore Cotton mealybug infestation It usually attacks vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Cotton mealybugs are easy to recognize by their white appearance.
Image: Pixabay

How to combat cotton mealybug infestation?

Treatment to eliminate cotton mealybugs includes insecticides to prevent their spread, however, natural remedies can also be used to prevent their spread. Next, we will give you a simple recipe that uses just a few kitchen ingredients.

ingredients

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons baking soda

How to apply it?

First you will have to clean the affected stems and leaves. With the help of wet cotton or hyposporous, remove the cochineal. Next, in a bowl, mix the apple cider vinegar and vegetable oil, stir well and finally add the baking soda. Be careful not to let the mixture spill.

Once ready, use a cotton swab to scoop out a little of the above preparation and apply it directly to the leaves or stems where the scale insect infestation was found. It is recommended to apply this treatment at dusk, to prevent the sun from damaging plants and crops. After a few days of applying this treatment, you will notice the difference, but you should not neglect maintenance until these or other pests reach your crops again.