Soft Scale Insect Killer
Soft Scale Insect Killer contains 25 tiny parasites called Metaphycus helvolus which can be introduced indoors, in both greenhouses and conservatories, to slow down and stop the spread of soft scale insects
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Soft Scale Insect Killer contains 25 tiny parasites called Metaphycus helvolus which can be introduced indoors, in both greenhouses and conservatories, to slow down and stop the spread of soft scale insects. These minute parasitic wasps inject their egg into the scale, killing them and producing another parasite.
To be effective, Soft Scale Insect Killer requires longer days (March to October) and minimum temperatures of 18ºC. Application is easy; simply release the insects on or near the infected plants (3-5 per plant). For severe infestations, repeat introductions of Soft Scale Insect Killer 2-3 times over 3-4 weeks and for control of hard scale insects, try our Hard Scale Insect Killer.
Please Note: This product is only effective at temperatures of 18ºC+. This live product is despatched to UK addresses only!
- Soft Scale Killer consists of 25 adult Metaphycus helvolus parasitic wasp
- Suitable for indoor use only
- Use on greenhouse, conservatory and house plants
- Predator prefers long days so only apply between March and October
- Minimum temperature requirement of 18ºC
- Use our Savona Insect Killer Spray on scales during predator off-season
- Parasitic wasps inject scales and kill them
- Further wasps emerge from parasitised scales
- Apply insects directly to affected plants
- Use 3-5 adult wasps per plant
- Severe infestations may require 2-3 applications over a month
- Hard scales can be controlled with our Hard Scale Insect Killer
Live Pest Control Delivery
Being a live product the parasites are ordered weekly every Thursday. These are then delivered on Wednesday of the following week for delivery by the end of the week.
For example an order placed on a Monday would be ordered on Thursday, received the following Wednesday for delivery by the end of that week.
How to Use Soft Scale Killer
Apply Soft Scale Killer when soft scales are observed on plants. Soft scale killer is not recommended for use outdoors. The minute parasitic wasps contained in soft scale killer inject their egg into the soft scale insect. This kills the soft scale and leads to the production of a new Metaphycus parasite, which hatches from the scale insect. These tiny wasps need long days to reproduce in and a minimum temperature of 18.c. For indoor use this is normally from March-October. To apply Soft Scale Killer open the bottle near the infested plants and let the parasites fly to the scale insects. It is best to apply late in the day when vents and windows are shut. A guide to application rates is 3-5 Metaphycus per plant. Repeat treatments 2-3 times over 1-2 months.
Appearance and Lifecycle
Scale insects are often divided into two groups; soft scale and hard scale. The soft scale has their shell attached and with the hard scale shell it is not attached. Outdoors there are one to two generations per year but indoors there can be 3-6 with generations overlapping each other. Eggs are normally laid under the shells and newly hatched nymphs will crawl around plant surfaces spreading the infestation. There are up to 25 species of scale in the UK, most are between 1-10mm in size.
Symptoms and Damage
Scale insects feed on plant sap from plant leaves and stems. Soft scale species then secrete honeydew onto leaves. This is a sticky substance that often attracts fungi, which then turns black. Soft scale insects thrive best in warm, humid and shady conditions. Hard scale or armoured scale species don’t produce honeydew but do inject poisonous substances into the plant. This turns leaves yellow or brown. Heavy infestations of scale can result in poor growth and leaf drop.
Natural Choice Treatments
Biological control of scale insects is possible if the conditions are suitable for the predatory beetle and larvae and parasitic wasp used to control them. There are safe sprays such as Savona for controlling scale insects when the biological control predators are at rest between October and March.
Live Pest Control Delivery
Being a live product the parasites are ordered weekly every Thursday. These are then delivered on Wednesday of the following week for delivery by the end of the week.
For example an order placed on a Monday would be ordered on Thursday, received the following Wednesday for delivery by the end of that week.
