The exotic charisma of palm trees enchants interior rooms, balconies and terraces. Unfortunately, the attractive plants are not entirely immune to pest infestation. Lice, especially the various species of scale insects, are relatively often found on the fronds. They initially cause bright or yellow leaf spots. If nothing is done then, the palm tree plant can be so badly damaged that it even dies.
How to combat lice on palm trees?
To effectively combat lice on palm trees, you can prepare a spirit-soft soap solution (1 liter of water, 30 ml soft soap, 30 ml spirit) and spray the affected areas several times. If the infestation is severe, chemical agents such as swabs or sprays can be used.
Characteristics
- Scale insects belong to the plant lice family.
- About 0.6 to 0.8 millimeters in size.
- The winged males do not eat any food.
- The immobile females feed on plant sap.
- The body of female lice is covered by a hard or woolly substance.
- This shield protects the female animal and the eggs she lays from environmental influences and predators.
- Scale insects live in large colonies and spread extremely quickly.
The effective fight against lice
Depending on how severe the infestation is, home remedies may be enough to put an end to the animals.
Scrape off
This method is only recommended if the infestation is still very small. Carefully remove the pests with a knife, which is immediately rinsed well. However, you can never be completely sure that you have actually caught all the lice. There is also a risk that many of the tiny eggs will remain on the palm or even be accidentally distributed on the plant.
Sprays with spirit soft soap solution
This is a relatively mild yet very effective remedy against scale insects. The alcohol contained in the spirit destroys the protective shield, the soft soap clogs the respiratory organs of the lice and they die.
The optimal mixing ratio:
- 1 liter of water
- 30 milliliters of soft soap
- 30 milliliters of spirit
Pour everything into a sprayer (€27.00 on Amazon) and spray the animals several times, a few days apart.
Chemical agents
Due to the resistance of lice, the use of chemical agents is often unavoidable. Highly effective sticks are available, which are inserted into the soil, as well as sprays.
Tip
Some plant books recommend dabbing the scale insects with oily substances such as paraffin. However, this is not recommended as the oil also clogs the plant pores. As a result, the leaf no longer receives proper nutrition, turns brown and dies. In palm trees that grow very slowly, this damage remains visible for a long time.
