white fuzz/cottony substance on coneflower

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Mluna25 Bayside, NY Jul 01, 2015

Hi All,
I spotted this white cotton like substance on my coneflower and on some of my milkweeds. I can't identify what it is and am hoping someone can help me to do so. Any ideas (pest, disease, treatment options) are greatly aprreciated.
Michele

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Mluna25 Bayside, NY Jul 01, 2015

PS. the fuzz is only on the stems not on any leaves.

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Gitagal Baltimore, MD(Zone 7a) Jul 03, 2015

looks like mealybugs to me. If so--take a cotton ball and soak it in
rubbing Alcohol and wipe over the cottony masses. That should kill them.

However--IF they are mealybugs, they are in other places of the plant too--
hiding in crevices--especially where a leaf joins the stems.
That is where their "Nurseries" are...

Good luck! Gita

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coleup annapolis, MD(Zone 7b) Jul 04, 2015

Your pics look like the flatid leafhopper nympths that are on many of the plants, trees and shrubs in my yard. They can jump 12 to 18 inches! as well as move about. They turn into lovely little white or pale green adults that gather together and 'line up' on a stem or twig. They can suck enough sap to damage some leaves and stems especially new or tender growth. They leave behind their white waxy secretions as they move on (like your pic #2)

http://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/2014/07/what-is-the-white-fluffy-stuff-on-my-shrubs/

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Mluna25 Bayside, NY Jul 04, 2015

Hi Thank you both for your help. I think coleup is correct, because I did see a leaf hopper near by. I have an organic butterfly garden and lots of dragonflies, wasps, etc. Any suggestions of how to control these using not pesticides or should I leave them to the dragonflies and wasps?

Thanks again!

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