The mites are mostly small, only a few mm in size and look like small mosquitoes. Thrushes usually stay close to the surface of the ground. Their adults do not cause any direct damage to plants, but their female lays up to 250 eggs each in moist soil, which hatch into 2-10 mm long, semi-transparent larvae with a black head and no legs in 2-3 days. In three weeks, the larvae develop into adult insects. Under ideal conditions, above +24C, the fungus develops 4-5 generations per year.
Borer larvae can attack not only decaying but also living plant tissue and thus damage plant roots. Seedlings and young plants are most at risk, as they can be gnawed and die. If the substrate is very wet all the time, then the rots multiply and rot the roots of the plants, damage the lower part of the stem and the plants become susceptible to various diseases.
I also consider this pest to be easy to control.
The first way we can get rid of rotting beetles is to put yellow glue shields/leaves next to the plant, to which the rotting beetles will stick. You can buy such glue shields on my website https://augi-plants.lv/products/untitled-sep9_13-21. You will have to use these leaves for quite a long time, even for several months, to be sure that the new generation of weevils has been caught. This method helps me a lot and I haven't tried anything else. It must be remembered that if the plant is exhausted, the soil must be changed for the plant in order to increase the number of larvae in it!
Another option is to use predatory insects that eat the mealybug larvae. There are various predatory insects that can be used, such as hypoaspis mites. Such predatory insects can be ordered and purchased in Latvia from A.M. Oaks.
A third option is to use Neem oil. It is 100% natural and non-toxic. You can even safely use it on vegetables and fruit trees to combat rotting. You can buy neem oil on my website, where I have also described recipes for using neem oil. Plant treatment should be repeated every 7 days, at least a month. https://augi-plants.lv/products/nima-ella-dabigais-lidzeklis-cinai-ar-kaitekliem-100ml
If you have any other questions about plant care, apply for a consultation and I will gladly help you with advice so that you can take care of your houseplants like a professional in the future. https://augi-plants.lv/products/attalinata-konsultacija
