IN THIS GUIDE
Mealybugs are humble sap - sucking insects that , if devote a luck , can damage and gravely weaken a wide scope of plants .
Even though they are difficult to control , there are some measures that can help forbid and limit their spread and destruction .
What Are Mealybugs?
mealybug are a type of soft - bodied insect that are similar and closely related to scale insects .
Growing to 4 mm long they appear pinkish or white and are easy to spot as adult , resembling the shape of a slater .
Several coinage of mealybugs are present here in the United Kingdom , with perhaps the most vernacular being in the generaPseudococcusandPlanococcus.1Canna Research . ( n.d.).Mealybugs – Pests & Diseases . Canna UK . recall March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.canna-uk.com/mealybugs-pests-diseases
The greenhouse mealybug , as its name evoke , attacks indoor flora ; the root mealybug attacks the roots of houseplants and other ornamental ; the phormium mealybug , which can pull through lower temperature , fair game on phormiums andcordylines .
“ It is well-heeled to think of mealybug as being so surrounded by their own waxy coat that they can not move , but they can , ” says Horticultural Consultant Peter Lickorish .
“ Their ability to move between plants is what make the quarantining so authoritative .
It ’s not just the mealy bug that are mobile . They can carry virus between plants and their sap - sucking generally weakens and distort plant development .
“ They have intercourse the underside of the leaves because that ’s where vessels carrying the sugary sap are located . When buying a plant life , always have a look underneath the leaves as it ’s surprising how many cuss live under there . ”
Mealybugs lean to be most problematical on houseplant and plants grown in a greenhouse or conservatory as they be intimate warm and humid conditions .
However , some species can involve outdoor plants , such asphormiums , citrus andhibiscus .
Generally pink or hoary in colour , they grow a blank wax substance that covers their bodies and resembles cotton wool fluff .
“ Keep an center out for the dreaded mealybug , a common pest of the cactus and succulent , ” warn Darren Evans , Plant Manager at Pugh ’s Cacti .
mealy bug tend to live in modest clump hidden away in the leaf joins and under the leaf , sucking the fool from the flora , which , in turn , is excreted as a embarrassing substance call honeydew that can attract a sooty disgraceful mold .
Mealybug Life Cycle
The mealybug lifecycle dissent slightly harmonise to the coinage , but generally , new generations are hatched from ballock , although a few bears bouncy offspring .
In warm conditions , the female mealybug can lay her eggs all class around , yet this may become less frequent in cold atmospheric condition .
The female can lay anything between 150 - 600 yellow or orangish nut at a time before she conk out , which are protected by a white wax - alike coating.2Mahr , S. ( n.d.-e).Mealybugs . Wisconsin Horticulture . call up March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/mealybugs-2/
After 7 - 10 day , the eggs think up , producing nymph which after a calendar month or two of feeding , grow into grownup mealybugs.3Mealybugs . ( 2021 , April 28 ) . Oklahoma State University . Retrieved March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://extension.okstate.edu/programs/digital-diagnostics/insects-and-arthropods/mealybugs/
The speed of their development increases with ardent weather , or in affectionate greenhouse conditions .
The female mealy bug then extend the life Hz , whereas in some species , the virile pupates into a winged insect , which dies within day .
In a affectionate indoor climate , up to eight generations can be produced each twelvemonth , which is why bar is central wherever possible.4Johnson , P. ( n.d.).Mealybugs on Orchids . American Orchid Society . call up March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.aos.org/orchids/orchid-pests-diseases/mealybugs.aspx
Mealybug Causes
A mealybug plague can seemingly come out of nowhere , as one day a industrial plant can look healthy and devoid of pests and disease and the next it is encompass with the separate - tale white cotton substance or fateful sooty mould .
The most common case of mealy bug is bringing home an infected newfangled plant , particularly an indoor variety , which is why it is often recommend to quarantine new plant before adding them to a collection .
However , mealybug can also be contract by placing plants outdoors during the summertime months and by using infected soil .
Identifying Mealybugs
Mealybugs are quite easy to spot when an plague has occurred as the white or grey adult are around half a centimetre and their white waxy center is fair obvious .
However , spot their testicle is not so wanton , as they are belittled and brood speedily – create nymph .
Once the temperature warms up outside in bounce ( or twelvemonth - round indoors or in a heated up greenhouse ) it is advisable to check plant oft for signal of mealybugs , as once a large infestation is present it is a challenge to extirpate .
When checking plants , give careful attention to the leaf axils and the underneath of the foliage , as this is where they are likely to be find .
Quarantining Plants
Since mealybugs are often precede through a unexampled plant , it is advisable to quarantine any new plant life whether purchased or received as a gift , before adding them to a greenhouse or a radical of others indoors .
Even though this may be inconvenient , I ’d recommend isolating new specimens aside from other plants for at least a month and to visit thoroughly before placing them with others .
How To Get Rid Of Mealybugs
Once present , mealybug can be hard to annihilate .
However , there are some direction to melt off their number and prevent re - infestation .
That being said , it is sometimes sluttish to weigh one ’s loss with a to a great extent infested plant and start again .
Perhaps the first ascendance method to render is washing them off the plant .
This can be done by using a hose spray adapter or a spray pump with water .
Spraying the plant will hopefully reposition the grownup , any nymphs and their eggs , but can spread them elsewhere , so it is best perform outside one plant at a time .
biologic controller , including the use of predatory insect such as ladybug and parasitic WASP , can be used efficaciously in wrap spaces where mealybugs are present .
The ladybirds can seek out and pig mealy bug and their eggs with surprising effect .
“ The genus of ladybird used for control is normallyCryptolaemus , so not the spotted ladybird beetle wide seen in the UK , ” shares Peter .
“ It is worth mentioning that their larvae depend alarmingly like mealybugs , so be careful if you ’re spraying off mealybug and using predator ! ”
However , their use is limited to the warmer summer month where temperature support their purpose .
Insecticidal soaps incline to be derived from plant oils or rock oil and human activity as a tangency insecticide against mealybugs .
Frequent software is often command for this process to prove effective , as the outcome is curtly - endure .
works invigorators are now available , which mix a mixture of natural pesticide to point the mealybugs and nutrients to induce flora growth which may have been trim back .
Rubbing alcohol of 75 % or isopropyl alcohol is another inwardness that can be used in the fight against mealybugs .
To implement , overcharge one conclusion of a cotton bud in the intoxicant and use it to paint the insect and any eggs found on the plant , fend off any unaffected leafage where possible .
provide your plant to dry out for several hours and then wash off off any dead mealybugs under water .
Even though the alcohol is strong , it evaporates within minutes so the plant is not harmed .
However , it is advisable to try this method on a lowly area first , before treating an entire solicitation .
I would not personally recommend this method acting .
More lasting middleman insecticides are available when other method have failed .
These can include sprays with cypermethrin , lambda - cyhalothrin and deltamethrin as the participating factor and are authorize for use against mealy bug .
Treatment For Commonly Affected Plants
Cacti and succulent are regrettably often targeted by mealybug .
insert ladybirds as a biological control along with apply chafe inebriant can turn up effective , as well as changing their soil and wash away their jackpot clean .
mealy bug can infest and damage orchidaceous plant with surprising speed , leading to a deficiency of bud and their prized flowers .
As with other houseplants , a scheme of using chafe alcohol , flora oils and repotting can help treat and foreclose mealy bug .
The jade plant is a popular house plant mature here in the UK and is often affected by mealybug .
Jade plants can be very sensitive to fatty acids and plant oils , causing harm to the leaf and are thus not commend for usance against mealybugs .
Instead , spray the leaf with water and removing the insects by hired hand is the best-loved option , with the aim use of alcohol on a cotton bud a last resort .
regrettably , all sort of hibiscus whether grown indoors or outdoors can be targeted by mealybugs .
For more crank varieties grown inside , a combination of introduce predatory insects and applying fret alcohol can prove successful .
However , for hardier plant develop outdoors , plant oils or contact insecticides may need to be used , but not when the industrial plant is in bloom .
Ongoing Prevention
Since mealybugs can be quite difficult to handle once established , prevention in the first post is most in spades the good line of defence .
Even though quarantining any new plant is a hassle and not always easygoing if distance is an issue , it is primal in preclude any existing works ingathering from knuckle under to mealybugs .
Regular plant checkout are also an authoritative part of forestall mealybugs as if identified , the plants can be isolated and treat , helping keep contagion to the residuum of the appeal .
Mealybugs are most attracted to new , soft green growth .
In sure circumstances I would advise slightly reducing feeding and watering where possible , leading to a swifter hardening of novel maturation and well underground to plague .
For sure houseplants , but only those that can handle it , get down the nighttime temperature can also help prevent mealybugs , which prefer a lovesome and humid environs .
