Please check for mealybugs. I went out this morning and I seem to have an explosion of the darned things. I like zone 10 in the winter, but I have to say I do not like the variety of bugs we have down here! I've used the Bayer Systemic(killed a few things with it), sprayed with several different insecticides and hadn't seen any real problems, then this morning.........they are everywhere, like they blew in on the wind. I'm going out with a quart bottle of pure alcohol. That should get the little pesky buggers!
If you got plants from me recently...
Good luck Susie!! I am having the same problem here,it's like the mealy bug population just blew up. They are everywhere and alcohol doesn't seem to be affecting them .
They are on everything that is green and has a leaf. I've never seen them quite like the way they are now and I can't kill them. I spray my tropical hibiscus plants almost daily and the next day the bugs are back.
This message was edited Aug 30, 2004 5:53 PM
I just thought I would mention that in the hoya forum there is a post where a hoya grower talks about using the Bayers systemic tree and shrub liquid fertilizer on their hoya's for root mealy's. I grow about 200 hoya plants and just ran out today to buy a bottle. I plan on using it on all my hoya's. I noticed that the one's outside are especially having mealie problems. I would think that if it works on hoya's it should work on other plants as well.
I used the Bayer stuff,the same one that you mention if I remember correctly on my stapelias last year. It seemed to work and the mealies disappeared but I started to see them again within a year and I think you can only use this stuff on your plants once a year.
I have never seen mealy bugs the way I do now. They are so bad here that I even found clumps and I do mean clumps of them nesting between the joints of the fiberglass panles on my greenohuse.
They are on the althea trees,brugmanisa,perrenial type sages and anything that is green and juicy. In the past I have never had a problem with alcohol killing them but lately it just doesn't seem to phase them much or maybe it's just that there are so may of them that they are replenishing themselves overnight.
neem is also good for mild infestations.
I had always considered mealies to be a 'greenhouse pest' until I moved to Georgia :-)
I've used neem on these, I think they loved it. I'm spraying with alcohol right now. Not going to use the Bayer stuff, I've already killed enough plants with it and will never use it again. I did notice ladybugs adn spiders are feasting on the mealies, so hopefully with spraying and the beneficials they will soon be under control. The mealies are even on my colocasias! I've never had them on ears before.
I use the Bayer drench on everything in the garden.. Colocasias, Alocasias, Xanthosmas, Hoyas....With our rains it only lasts about 6months...but can last up to a year. It is the same ingredient as Marathon sold to nurseries.
Carol
there are alot of different neems as there are different chems in different concentrations etc.
i have 'agroneem'
but of course with mealies, you almost need to keep swapping up.... if it works this time, it might not next time.
prepare the arsenal.