COCHINEAL - 4 tips how to win agains COCHINEAL

The Cochineal is a parasite that affects ornamental and indoor plants, feeding on the sap of the leaves and stems. An attack of cochineal insects leads, in the long run, to the weakening of the plant and, over time, to its death. It develops very quickly when temperatures rise for example in summer, to slow down the spread in the colder winter periods.

The Cochineal is a very common phytophagous insect but also difficult to treat, due to the nature of the parasite. It presents many forms and aspects, it is a parasite which, with the exception of the young mobile forms, adheres to the parts of the plant where it is difficult to reach, it is covered by wax or lacquer emissions or covered by a follicle called scudetto, of various shapes which protects it from natural hazards. The Cochineal can produce honeydew, in some cases, a sugary substance that attracts other insects, often ants, which is why sometimes the presence of the two is simultaneous. The emissions and the shield help to hide and protect the forms of cochineal from predators and in our case from treatments, therefore we must adopt techniques or use products that allow us to reach it, to overcome its natural barriers, it is therefore also important how you treat it and not just the product you use.

Cochineal remedies

Marseille soap against cochineal

Take 10 g of Marseille soap and 5 g of sunflower seed oil, mix it well and create an emulsion, dilute the emulsion in a liter of hot water and carefully distribute the mixture on the infected plant, trying to spray it as much as possible to reaching the cochineal on the entire infested part, treating only a small part would cause the problem to recur shortly afterwards.
We can spray directly 3 times in the evening every 3 days on the affected part to eliminate the cochineal. It works by asphyxiation, impeding the natural breathing of insects.

Neem oil against cochineal

It is a natural oil obtained from the azadirachta indica plant.
In the past it was already used to fight some parasites and diseases. In India, an important insecticide belonging to the azadirachtine class was extracted and synthesized from this plant. Acts as a phage repellent (disgusting agent) and growth inhibitor.

Alcohol against cochineal

It is one of the most used, simple and effective remedies for eliminating cottony scale insects and shield scale insects: just dilute it with water and spray it on the leaves. Alternatively, you can also wipe the alcohol directly on the leaves with a soaked cotton ball. After carrying out this operation, rinse the treated parts with plenty of water to eliminate alcohol residues from the plant.

Mineral oils against cochineal

An excellent system for eliminating cochineal insects consists in the use of white mineral oil which causes the death of cochineal insects through suffocation. Once sprayed on the infected plants, this product creates a sort of film which, by covering the scale insects, will cause their death by suffocation. Mineral oils have been used effectively for a long time in the control and fight against scale insects. They are extraction oils. mineral, are soluble and exert an asphyxiating action on scale insects, which, being little or not at all mobile, are unable to free themselves from this covering which prevents them from breathing, leading to death by asphyxiation. At a professional level, the oils are 'activated', that is, associated with an insecticide to perform a double function, toxicity and asphyxiation.