Taking a poll - I am curious...

...about mealie bugs and their preferences. It seems to me that when I find them they are always on the same #$%^@@#@!! hoyas and never on others. My worst attractors are H. javanica, H. multiflora, H. coriacea, H. heuschkelianas (all of them), H. thailandica, H. fraterna....some of the worst. Lets not forget the H. compacta and other carnosa varieties.

Now the spider mites seem to prefer H. cembra, H. cv. Iris Marie, H. schneei as well as H. coriacea.

Any additions to these two lists? I wonder why? I was surprised to find them on (and in the soil) of H. thailandica as it is a waxy-ish leaf and the others are fairly thin leafed.

Carol

Oh for Christs sake, (Happy Birthday!) don't forget H. bella, regarding spider-mites, and all it's close relatives. I won't even grow those anymore. Also DS-70 and chlorantha. The mealies, for me, seem to favor compacta above all else. Can't blame them, so many squiggly hiding places.

Knock on wood the spider mites dont bother my hoyas and the only one in almost 4 years of seriously growing hoyas that i've found mealy bugs on is camphorifolia.

dmichael

Humm it must be this Arizona weather, I don't have problems with any of those critters.....knock on wood!!

Blessings,
Awanda

Oh my bella was loaded with mealies last spring. I sprayed and sprayed, used BT&S, they just kept on a comming. I broke into my last pack of the bayer spikes and put 2 of them into the pot and haven't seen one since. Also one of my pubicalyx, other than that no problems.

Thanks so much. Awanda...you have such a great sense of humor....girl....you ROCK!!!!

I wonder if it is climate? (DUH). I can't believe I get mealies with all the rain we have!!!

Carol if that picture is of H. thailandica and it has mealy bugs,just send the entire thing to me and i'll be glad to remove the bugs!!!! (LOL)) just kidding!!


dmichael

HAHA - dream on David!!

The photo is of IML 0831 and not the one I had planned to put up there....but it still a great hoya...doesn't seem to get mealies!!!

Actually, I was surprised that H. thailandica got mealies...I found 2 on the leaves and, as always when I find mealie bugs, I checked the roots and, YEP...mealies bugs there too!

Carol

None of mine have had problems w/spider mites, either, but as for mealybugs.....
Polyneura & Multiflora - thank goodness my compactas haven't been targeted....that must be frustrating!

Love that IML 0831 Hoya! Just love those leaves!

I only have a couple of Hoya's and the only problem I have had is on the one I got from a friend back in the 70's which I think is the 'Krimson Princess'. The problem is Aphids and it's only been happening the last 2 years, late September or early October. I spray it with Insecticidal soap and that seems to take care of the problem. Oh, actually this year, I released a bunch of lady beetles and they helped .... but in a couple of days, no more lady bugs ..... ): boo hoo .... I think the little anole lizards thought I had put a feast out for them! I love the little lizards though .... they eat ants and palmetto bugs .... which we have in abundence here in Florida! So .... I am always rescuing the little lizards from my cats!

Lin

http://www.hoyasidan.com/index-filer/DMC1622_Philippines_IML0831.htm

Lin, if you think the leaves are nice just look at the flower. I recieved a very nice plant of this as an extra from Carol when I placed an order with her recently. If this is the actual color of the blooms,I cant wait to see mine with flowers!!!

I was looking for info on H. soloniflora and just happened to run into IML0831 at the same time!!

Carol, I see in your photo that you have had this plant to bloom. Is the picture in the link pretty accurate as far as bloom color goes?? Just curious!

dmichael

This message was edited Dec 26, 2006 8:00 PM

More like this, David. Blooms early and often.

Found a few more mealies today on the H. limoniaca.... Spider Mites tend to like the thin leafed plants like H. sp. Tanna Island, H. cembra, H. schneei... hatemhatemhatem!!!!!

OOH!!!! I LIKE!!!

Wow, that is very pretty. The leaves on this hoya, benny, and siariea, look alot alike as well as others, I guess that is why it is very important not to identify a hoya by it's leafs.

I found a mealie on a peduncle of verticillata, I looked over and seen this big ole white bump, and there he was just laying in the sun. I squished him with my fingers and then remembered that close up photo that was taken of one of them.. Ewww. I need to just keep a Q-tip handy.

thankfully, I've not had any bug issues with my hoyas. the only plant I have with any mealies is a stupid pothos. that thing gets routinely alcohol-qtipped and sprayed, but I guess I keep missing one pregnant female.

do systemics not work on hoyas?

Yes...systemics do work. Bayer Tree and Shrub as a drench is VERY effective. However, the toxin does not go out to the peduncle and rachis...so you may find aphids and mealies out there (which is good news for US because the fruit we eat is not affected by the systemic either because many use it in their orchards). I cruise my greenhouse with a spray bottle of 100% alcohol....and anything suspect gets zapped, then tagged and later drench with BTS.

HTH
Carol

Hmmnn, didn't know that about the peduncles. Good info!

That is good to know...but you've got me so curious, Carol....how *on earth* did you know that??

Well...I had drenched some plant that had been suspect...and a couple of weeks later I came back to find the rachis (the little 'microphone' looking part of the peduncle where the flowers form) covered with mealybugs. I was also told by a horticulture type that the Imidocloprid does not affect the flowers or the fruit.....and that orchardists are known to use an insecticide which is basically Imidocloprid on their trees. Now...that could be urban legend....

Has anyone else noticed? Or is it just me? My plants that get mealies are all things I've let get dry, whether hoyas or not. (Not as much from neglect as much as afraid to overwater.)

Carol, how much Bayer's Tree & Shrub do you use per gallon? Directions on the label are confusing, only about trees and shrubs, not vines. Many thanks.

The ratio is 2 Tblsp. per gallon (one ounce). I sit the pots in a baking tray and pour the water with drench thru the pot and let the plants sit in the water for about 5 mins. Then I drain. Doing over 1000 trays is quite a job!!! And, it works. Saw some mealies on new growth on H. schneei which had been drenched a month ago...DEAD!!!! Just the way I like them!

Karen, stressed plants (too much/ little water, too much/ little sun, poor air movement, etc.) are a lot more vulnerable to insect pests and diseases. Mealies also don't like water much, and are more likely to infest the soil in pots that dry out thoroughly between waterings, like for succulents.