Mealybugs
Cottony white insects that hide in leaf joints and suck the sap.
What you'll see
- White, cottony or waxy clumps in leaf joints, along veins, on stems and in tight crevices.
- Sticky honeydew, black sooty mold, and ants visiting the plant.
- Slow growth, yellowing and leaf drop on badly infested plants.
- Root mealybugs: white waxy specks on the roots and inside the pot when you unpot a struggling plant.
Why it happens
Mealybugs are soft, wax-coated sap-suckers that hide in sheltered spots. They usually arrive on a new or infested plant.
How to fix it
- Move the plant away from others, wipe or pick off the mealybugs, and prune out heavily infested parts.
- Dab small groups with a cotton swab dipped in 70% rubbing alcohol, after testing one leaf for a day or two.
- Spray insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, which works best on young crawlers, and repeat into every crevice.
- Discard plants with heavy or root infestations rather than risk the rest of your plants.
- Use any spray exactly as the label says, and keep kids and pets away until it dries.
Keep it from coming back
- Inspect new plants closely, including leaf bases, crevices and roots, and keep them apart for a month.
- Clean pots, stakes and saucers, and clear away dropped leaves.
- Feed lightly, since soft, lush growth helps them breed.
Read more
Sources
General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.