Insects - Page 6

LEMONS – see “Citrus Fruits”
LETTUCE

Lettuce is commonly infested with three types of insects:

1. Greenfly/Aphid: this insect attaches itself to the leaf by burrowing its mouth deeply into the leaf tissue. The Greenfly is the same color as the leaf.
2. Thrip: a tiny black insect (approximately 1mm long), which, to the naked eye, looks like a tiny particle of fiber or something similar.
3. Worms.

METHODS OF INSPECTION:

Preferred Method - Cleaning

1. Separate ALL the leaves.
2. Rub each leaf on both sides with a soft very soapy sponge. Take care to wipe into all the folds.
3. Rinse well under running water.

You do not need to visually check the leaves once this method has been used.

Alternative Method - Checking

1. Separate ALL the leaves.
2. Thoroughly rinse all the leaves.
3. Soak the leaves in a weak salt-water solution (one teaspoon salt – not more - to every litre of water) for five minutes.
4. Pour out the water and rinse the leaves individually under running water.

Check every leaf very carefully on both sides (by holding it up to a good source of light so that it shines through the leaf). Take special care to inspect the folds in the leaves. Remove any insects or suspicious looking particles.

• MINEOLAS – see “Citrus Fruits”
• NAARTJIES – see “Citrus Fruits”
• NUTS / DRIED FRUITS - Checking

1. Check the whole cluster for worms and/or cobwebs.
2. Dried fruit must be inspected under folds, where insects sometimes get trapped, e.g. apricots, peaches, pears.
See also “Dates” and “Figs”.

ORANGES – see “Citrus Fruits”

N.B. Do not buy freshly squeezed orange juice, as the scale insect often gets dislodged from the skin during the squeezing and falls into the juice. Industrially squeezed orange juice contains no scale insects.
ONIONS – Checking (& cleaning)

Contrary to popular belief, onions are often infested with thrip, which is black or light green and only 1mm long! These can be found in the gaps inside the onion.

1. Preferably select onions with a thin neck.
2. After peeling the onions, cut off the top 1 centimeter.
3. Separate the parts that have begun to divide.
4. Remove any green from inside the onions.
5. Rinse the onions under running water, or preferably in a solution of 1 teaspoon of unscented Jik (sodium hypochlorite) in 2 liters of water.

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