Bougainvilleas are flowering vines. They’re often grown as house plants but may be grown outside in Sunsetâs environment zones H1, H2, 5, 6, 12 through 17 and 21 through 24. Certain bugs could be a problem for all these vines. You’ll likely need to identify these pests and handle the vine for one or even more of them throughout its existence at some stage.
Aphids
Melon and cowpea aphids can become Fahrenheit. They suck the juices in the leaves. Cowpea aphids wingless are grey or black, pearshaped, 1/8 to 1/4 inch-long and have white legs that are. Melon aphids are yellow green to green-black, oval-shaped, less than 1/8 inch-long and might have wings. Look carefully in bottoms and the tops of the leaves and stems for honeydew and aphids. Honeydew is a clear material excreted by the bugs. Watch for ants at the same time. They may be attracted to the honey-dew and protect aphids. Control the ants with ant traps positioned on the floor. Spray the vine, such as the undersides of the leaves, having a spray of water from a hose in the first indication of aphids. Wash the bugs and honey-dew off. Black mould can be led to by the honeydew. Prune off any curled leaves and place these in the trash. In the event the infestation is unable to be managed by water treat the vine with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Bougainvillea Loopers
Bougainvillea loopers are inchworms that consume the leaves. They’re yellow green to brown 1 inch-long worms that change in to brown or grey moths with a 1 inch wing span. The leaves are eaten by the worms. Watch for the worms, chewed edges on dark grey or black feces and the leaves. Birds generally consume the worms, maintaining populations. In the event the infestation is serious, the vine with the insecticide containing bacillus thuringiensis or spinosad.
Mealybugs
Citrus and long-tailed mealybugs can stick to bougainvillea vines year round in white masses at leaf and branch crotches stems. Mealybugs are less than 1/4 inch long, white and oval using a waxy or mealy coating. Leaves dropping in the slowed and vine development may be a sign of infestation. They entice ants just and excrete honeydew. Use infestations to be treated by the sam-e techniques as these employed to handle for aphids.
Scale
Brown delicate scale bugs connect themselves to bougainvillea branches and stay there year round, feeding to the vineâs juices. They’re tan or brown bumps that are less than 1/4inch long. Watch for yellow, wilted or honey-dew curled leaves and leaves that fall from your vine. Ants protect from their organic predators them. Control the ants with ant traps. Spray the vine with oil in late-winter in the event the infestation is so extreme that ant handle is ineffective, or use a systemic insecticide.
Whiteflies
Giant white-flies suck juices in the vineâs leaves. Small rice the eggs – nymphs that are formed and 3/16-inch extended grownup moths are available on the undersides of leaves. They create a waxy material as well as honey-dew on the leaves that seems just like a web. Severe infestations will trigger the vine become weak and to lose leaves. Remove any leaves using the waxy or white-flies material to them. Put them in a plastic bag and spot them. Wash the whole vine down using a spray in the garden hose once-per week before the infestation is in order. Continue every 2-3 months through the growing season.