Rhododendron pests and control methods

Azalea Pests - Red Spider Mites

Red spider mites can occur many times a year. The adult spiders mainly overwinter at the roots of the plants and parasitize on the back of the leaves when the weather warms up. The high temperature, little rain and dry weather from June to July every year means that adult insects reproduce faster and there are more pests.

Check the leaves of the plants in time in April. If red spider mites are found on individual leaves, remove the leaves and clean them up in time. If there are red spider mites on many leaves, you can spray pesticides. You can choose ordinary insecticides and spray them evenly. The pesticides have strong lethality, so try to dilute them.

Azalea Pests - Armyworm

The armyworm has a small, flat, black body and is the most serious pest to evergreen azaleas. It often sucks sap from the back of leaves, causing yellow-white spots to appear on the leaves and causing them to fall off. It also makes the adult plants grow weakly, affecting flowering.

When pests are found, spray the pesticide in time. Use 1500 times diluted omethoate emulsifiable concentrate for spraying. It will be effective after 3 to 5 sprays.

Azalea Pests - Aphids

It mainly harms the young branches and leaves of rhododendron. In mild cases, the leaves can lose their green color, while in severe cases, the leaves can curl up, become hard and brittle, unable to absorb nutrients, affecting flowering.

The key to controlling aphids is prevention. Spray lime sulfur once in winter to kill the eggs. Spray omethoate when insect infestation occurs.

Azalea pests - Short-whiskered moth

The short-palped moth mainly sucks sap near the main vein on the back of the leaves, causing oily spots to appear on the back of the leaves and causing the leaves to fall off. It often occurs in the summer when the weather is dry, and the rainfall increases and then decreases.

Spray a 500 times aqueous solution of lime sulfur mixture once in late October and early spring in March. (This type of medicine can be purchased at the flower and bird market, and the specific usage can be followed according to the instructions.)