Mealybugs

[bpullin]

Hi,

I'm pretty sure my sarrs have mealybugs, but when I went to check them out, the stupid things actually jumped like a little leaf hopper! I have never seen mealybugs move let alone jump. There is the cottony little masses with at least one bug in it, but they are very agile. Has anyone found anything safe to use for large-scale coverage? I"ve done the old rubbing alcohol routine, but I don't know what is safe for CPs.

I have searched through the posts, and only found references to the alcohol and generic mentions of poisons. Any suggestions would be very appreciated. Especially since the little &(*^(*&^(&jklFD*** bugs are also on one of my rose bushes.

Thanks,
bp

 

[ne3p]

one thing you could try is the pesticide you get in pet shops (i had to use it on my budgie, when he got scaly face, as he wasn't tame enough to be handled). it's biodegradable, and is a nice spray. i used up the rest of the can on the aphids on one of my plants.

i haven't used it extensively though, so i wouldn't know about side effects. i can't see it being a problem though

 

[bpullin]

Thanks for the suggestion. Too top it off, I also found a couple of japaneses beetles chewing on my flavas. First time I've seen that. I've killed grasshoppers on them in previous years. What I love about the south, everything down here bites, stings, chews or is poisonous.

 

[adnedarn]

how about orthene/acephate? I use orthene 75 SP (soultable powder) when I have problems. 2 treatments about 5 days apart generally does it (sometimes a 3rd in another few days to feel safe ). I've seen it stop Drosera from dewing for a little while, other than that... No problem. This is a systemic "soulution" which means your plant absorbs it and kills what eats the plant. Which is why 2 treatments... To get the babies that were not eating the plants yet when you first applied...

http://www.terraforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=30155 (orthene + acephate search)
http://www.terraforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=30158 (only orthene search)

 

[bpullin]

Thanks again. I will pick some up tomorrow. I just hate using chemicals. I know it's necessary sometimes, but I just don't like it.

 

[adnedarn]

I'd say if you have a few plants.. you could go another way... but when it comes to a mass infection. Get the job done.

 

[ne3p]

the insecticide in the budgie spray that i'm using is a plant extract. i believe it is derived from chrysanthemum flowers, if that makes you feel any better about using something similar.

 

[Not a Number]

Pyrethrim generally considered benign as pesticides go, along with Neem oil. Pyrethrim is not a systemic but it's good if you need to watch the bugs twitching to death.

Imidacloprid is a nicotine derivative and is a systemic insecticide, also considered rather benign as pesticides go - certainly more benign than Orthene.

Imidacloprid will take care of the Japanese beetles as well as the mealybugs.

You can look them up on http://www.pesticideinfo.org

 

[bpullin]

Thanks all. I will definitely check them out. I've read about Neem oil before, but it didn't sound very effective. Hey, I will try almost anything once. Maybe even twice.

 

[Not a Number]

Neem oil is effective, its effects are not immediate as it works by disrupting the reproductive cycles of the bugs or gums up their mouth parts. Most people think an insecticide is not effective if they don't see an immediate reaction.

If you're seeing the cottony fuzz on your plants that means you have a well established infestation. The females make the stuff. Mealybugs relocate when disturbed, the males being more mobile than the females.

 

[herenorthere]

My plants don't generally have pest issues (other than squirrels) while they're outside. The only time there's likely to be a problem is when plants are "environmentally isolated", such as pots sitting in trays of water. Since that's what I do with my Sarrs & VFTs, I watch for trouble. My solution isn't to spray; moving a pot out of the tray and into a flower bed or other biologically active place for a week is enough. An unsprayed area like that is teeming with predators, such as mites, wasps and beetles, and one of them has taken an interest in any pest problem I've handed to them.

I'm not looking to eliminate all of the pests, but only to keep them at a harmless level. Natural predators don't seem to do anything about JBs, but a few minutes of smushing can handle a lot of them and Sarr pitchers make for good disposal facilities. Don't put live ones in, however, because they can chew their way out. To get rid of the remaining creepie crawlies before bringing plants back inside, I do a few sprays of Neem and another organic spray, whose name escapes me at the moment. The Sarrs and other plants that stay outside for the winter don't ever get sprayed.