Plants in the garden and orchard can suffer from an insect infestation. Mites, small flies, aphids, ladybugs, ants, caterpillars or scale insects can attack our plantations. To prevent these fearsome pests from damaging your plants, you can opt for natural remedies that have repellent properties to treat them. Here are some home remedies to eradicate ants and mealybugs from plants in your patio, garden or orchard.

Unwanted insects infiltrating plants can become a real nuisance. In fact, attacked plants try to defend themselves from these invasive intruders, but they can sometimes weaken and suffer the loss of their foliage. To protect their vegetation against harmful insects, some opt for a natural insecticide. Discover in this article how to protect the plants on your terrace, garden or orchard against ants and mealybugs.

How do you know that mealybugs are present on plants?

Whether on your terrace or in your garden, the presence of mealybugs does not usually go unnoticed. Mealybugs can colonize most plants and weaken them. A distinction is made between scale insects, which have white secretions, shield scale insects, which are protected by wax, and shell scale insects, which have a hard, brown shell.

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When mealybugs invade your garden, you will notice the presence of sooty mold (a black powder), honeydew, and ants.

What attracts ants and mealybugs to plants?

Mealybugs are sucking and biting insects that feed on plant sap. Female scale insects are the only ones that attack plants since male scale insects do not need to feed on our plants. Mealybugs can cause substantial damage by attacking cacti, camellias, hibiscus, hydrangeas, or even citrus fruits. They are more likely to attack plants that are in humid climates and in a location with a lack of ventilation. For outdoor plants, it is enough that the plantation is dense for scale insects to be found.

Infested plants become weak and suffer discoloration or leaf drop. Additionally, honeydew, the name given to the sugary droppings of mealybugs, can attract certain species of ants. Therefore, the plants are infested with scale insects and ants.

Natural remedies to eliminate ants and scale insects from plants

Fighting mealybugs and ants can be difficult for gardening enthusiasts. To get rid of it, you need to act as soon as you notice the infestation.

A cure for ants on plants.

To keep ants away from your house and plants, you can opt for natural ingredients that give off an effective odor to scare away these insects. Chili pepper, vinegar, mint are ingredients that can help you put an end to the invasion of ants on your terrace. Additionally, you can mix honey and baking soda and pour the product into several jars to create ant traps. This cocktail will allow you to neutralize these small insects and considerably reduce the infestation.

To eliminate ants on plants, you can prepare a solution based on 10 ml of white vinegar, a liter of water and a few drops of dish soap. Spray this liquid on the insects. It is recommended to respect these doses to avoid burning the plants.

A remedy for mealybugs on plants.

If you notice mealybugs on your plants, first start by eradicating their shells with a cloth of soapy water and then opt for an anti-mealybug treatment. You can bet on Marseille soap or black soap. In a liter of water, dilute a teaspoon of liquid black soap, vegetable oil and 90° alcohol. Spray this preparation on the plant parts prone to scale insects, once a day for 3 to 4 days.

Now you know how to control mealybugs and ants. Discover a way to protect your plants from frost and cold.