Parthenolecanium sounds scary and it is scary

The oak lecanium scale is one though pest and you need to know a trick to get rid of it.
You surely know the feeling of despair when you discover that pests attacked your wintered plants. And if these bugs are oak lecanium scales, then you are facing a tough fight and may even be forced to throw all the attacked plants away.

But there may be a solution and you may be in luck even though Parthenolecanium is a really tough enemy. It may be defeated, but you need to combine multiple techniques to get your win.

Remove all affected parts without mercy

Easier said than done. But you need to take this approach even though you may throw away the entire plant. Use a sharp knife or scissors and focus on branches and parts where the concentration of bugs is highest. These are usually young shoots and damaged parts.

Photo: Pixabay

Get a regular newspaper

Well, newspapers or something to cover the ground. You have to prevent the bugs from invading the soil underneath where they could hide, and when your chemical war is over they could “wake up” and re-invade. So, what should you do? Cover the surface of the soil with newspaper or any other suitable cover and when bugs collect on it, throw it away.

Get trusted chemical treatment

Make sure to get preparations designed especially to eliminate wintering pests. However, chemicals designed for sucking pests should work well too. The important thing is that you need to repeat spraying and you need to follow the instruction manual. It is also recommended to spray plants around and not only the attacked plants. Best is to spray all plants you may have in your room because there is a chance that bugs may spread and come back from other “source” or room.

If you do not want to use chemicals, try canola oil for example, as the oil covers bugs with an impermeable layer and they should suffocate. Canola oil is actually a part of many organic preparations against pests. And as mentioned earlier, you need to repeat the treatment several times.

Preview photo: Pixabay