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This morning I discovered this disgusting white stuff on some of my plants--research has led me to believe it's mealybugs.
Last night I mixed up, in a spray bottle a batch of joy/vinegar/water, to use as an all purpose pesticide on my plants. This morning's mealybug discovery and subsequent research led me to using insecticidal soap as a solution to mealybugs. Will my above mentioned concoction do the job on the mealybugs too? I'm trying not to use any chemicals.
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Oh, how I hate those !~##&# scum sucking mealys! They infested one of my greenhouses once and it look me 2 years to completely irradicate them. The trouble is that they have a waxy coat that keeps most sprays from directly contacting the bug. I think that the insecticidal soap is a complete waste if you are trying to kill mealy bugs (it just wets the wax).(thats just my opinion tho...) I had pretty good success using a q-tip dipped in alcohol. (the alcohol disolves the wax and kills the sucker on the spot) The trouble with that method was that you have to be sure to find each and every bug, and then go back and kill off any new hatches of the creeps.... but it works! That method wasn't very feasible for my greenhouse though (1000+ plants), so I finally gave up and gave each of my plants a dose of Ortho Systemic Rose and Flower granules mixed into the soil. RESULT: Mealy bugs all gone....
bbbbbbbbb Posts: 11227 | From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
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I agree Bill....alcohol and a Q-tip is the only way to go...even if it is very time consuming. Although some references will say that insecticidal soap sprays will work....and others will tell you to wash them away with a strong spray of water. Keep an eye out for the eggs. Females lay eggs in a fluffy white mass on the plant. The eggs hatch in 10 days, and the crawlers wander away to find feeding sites of their own.
Good luck Ronni....hope you get rid of these pests!
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ronni: [QB]This morning I discovered this disgusting white stuff on some of my plants--research has led me to believe it's mealybugs.
Me too ! Have tried the alcohol and q-tip method but the citrus trees Ihave are to tall to get al all of them. Was recommended to use a spray made of joy, oil and sulfa - have not tried that one yet. Did try spray with 50% alcohol and 50% water - did work but you have to do it every three days for three weeks - and a camilia I had next to the aralia started to croak. Then I have tried spraying with insecticide - hate to do it but was losing the battle !!! Will insecticide three more times and then move to the sulfa as a every week treatment.
How do these ugly things start ??????
bbbbbbbbb Sheila from Mexico Green is life itself !
Posts: 9 | From: middle of Mexico | Registered: Jun 2003
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I had pretty good success using a q-tip dipped in alcohol. (the alcohol disolves the wax and kills the sucker on the spot) The trouble with that method was that you have to be sure to find each and every bug, and then go back and kill off any new hatches of the creeps.... but it works! That method wasn't very feasible for my greenhouse though (1000+ plants), so I finally gave up and gave each of my plants a dose of Ortho Systemic Rose and Flower granules mixed into the soil. 
