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Scale beetles belong to the family of scale beetles, so if we notice them on our houseplants, we need to choose methods or remedies to control them. The most common types of scale beetles in our homes are the greenhouse scale beetles and the citrus scale beetles. They don't differ much at first glance. Only a closer look reveals some differences. In the greenhouse scale beetles, the adult female has a hemispherical shape, a smooth surface, and a brown color, initially lighter and later darker. Their size ranges from 2 to almost 5 mm. Young nymphs are white-yellow, and in severe plant infestations, you can even see the insects moving around. They are distinguished from other scale beetles by the rounded and smooth surface of their scale. Initially, they most often live on the undersides of leaves, and later attack entire plants. The citrus scale beetles have a slightly different shape. The female's scale is more flattened, its center is darker than the edges, but is also oval in shape and 4-3 mm long. This pest's color also darkens with age. Honeydew beetles have many host plants and can feed on virtually all plants in our homes, including citrus trees, oleanders, ficuses, ferns, spider plants, palms, crassulas, and orchids. They reproduce parthenogenetically, meaning without copulation. We most often notice them when we see shiny brown cups on leaves. However, the first sign of their feeding is the appearance of sticky deposits on the leaves. This is honeydew produced by honeydew beetles, which not only looks unsightly but also limits photosynthesis and plant respiration and serves as a breeding ground for fungi. Consequently, fungal diseases appear on infested plants. Furthermore, the sticky substance covers not only the leaves but often also our windowsills, furniture, and floors. This requires a lot of cleaning. The larvae feed on the sap from the plant tissues and suck out the contents of the parenchyma cells. As a result, they damage leaves or stems. Yellow spots often form where they feed, and when they are abundant, the leaves become small, turn yellow, dry, and fall off. In favorable living conditions, the larvae develop 2-3, or even 4 generations. Mature females lay about 2,000 eggs under their larvae, which hatch into larvae. After a few days, the larvae begin to move around the plant and begin feeding. They then attach themselves to the plant at the chosen location with their stinging appendages and become immobile. The larvae are favored by excessively high temperatures and excessively dry air. Indeed, when I initially cleared my infested plant of pests and moved it to a cool garage, the larvae practically stopped appearing on the leaves. But that doesn't mean they've been completely eliminated. So how can I get rid of them? It's not easy, and the key to success is consistency. The first step is to thoroughly clean the plant of any visible insects. For plants with larger leaves, such as orchids, this isn't a problem; it's more difficult when the leaves are small or delicate. Nevertheless, let's try it. You can use any method you can think of. Scratch with gloves, use a toothbrush, or a toothpick. It's a good idea to cover the substrate so that the pests don't remain in the pot after removing them from the leaves. Home remedies for various insects, including scutellaria, also include dish soap, alcohol, methylated spirits, or vinegar. You can also use these and prepare a solution at a concentration of approximately 10 to 1 and gently wash the plant with a damp cloth. This cleaning procedure should be repeated several times, at 1-2 week intervals, even if you think the plant is clean and the problem is gone. If home remedies aren't enough, you can use insecticides. There are natural, ready-to-use sprays. For example, a spray based on saffron oil covers the pests with a thin, sticky coating, impeding their breathing and movement, and leading to their death. However, this only applies to young pests that haven't yet developed their protective shields. Therefore, these individuals should be removed first, and the remaining ones sprayed. The spray should be applied regularly every 7-10 days. Natural polysaccharide-based products, combining the action of an insecticide and a fungicide, work similarly. Both of these agents work by contact, so spray the affected plant thoroughly.