problem with indoor scale insect

[pinzel51]

Hi

i have a Schefflera and i have a bad problem of indoor scale insect ... although i am removing most of them every week ... it still continues to grow .... now i am looking towards maybe a insecticide or something like that ....

Can someone help in telling me the exact thing i should do ? ( although i would like not to use insecticide if this is the only option i would take it )

thanks

Rick

[jimmyq]

insects infestation usually shows that a plant is stressed, a weak plant is more susceptible to beasts. is your plant in the right light? temperature? humiditiy? getting the right watering? try to answer these questions and possibly a new method of action will come to mind.

[pinzel51]

the plant has enough sun ... the soil is usually perfect except for last week where my kid gave the plant a little more water then expected ... but nothing big ... humidity is also ok ... except that this week it was very dry ... but in summary ... everything in that plant is perfect ... but the problem with the scales has been doing on for months now ... and i am getting tired of taking these thigns out of the leaves ....

[Eric La Fountaine]

Scale can be a difficult problem to eradicate with natural means. They are slow moving though so if you are vigilant you will succeed. Scale has a tough coat. Many treatments call for wiping or spraying the plant with a dillute solution of rubbing alcohol to penetrate the coat and then using soap or oil. If you are picking them off you have to get to every last one to wipe them out. You may want to check twice a week for a while.

Good luck,