SCALE INSECTS

Scale Insects are possibly at the other end of the importance 'scale' for many gardeners but they are nevertheless a real pest to greenhouse growers, house plant keepers and those of us who like to cultivate ornamental plants such as bay laurels, camellias, geraniums, citrus bushes and many other similar plants.

Classified into hard and soft groups, these immobile, heat-loving creatures conceal themselves on the underside of leaves, settle down to feed on the plant, produce honeydew (which leads to sooty mould) and generally make a nuisance of themselves.

Fortunately, we've included in our organic pest control range two little friends who are rather more keen on scales than us gardeners; step forward the soft scale-killing parasitic wasp Metaphycus helvolus, a tiny creature which cunningly lays eggs into the scales and disposes of them; whilst short on table manners but not on appetite is Chilocorus nigritus, a greedy little black beetle which crunches its way through hard scales.

As both these handy helpers only spark into life between March and October, our Savona spray steps into the breach until then.