This Cory elephantides hasn't done well (I killed one last year) and I noticed some scale on it. When I went to repot, it was ugly. What is all this white junk, you can also see a few white inscets that roam around on the bottom?
Mike
which pest(s) is this?
which pest(s) is this?
Hi,
This Cory elephantides hasn't done well (I killed one last year) and I noticed some scale on it. When I went to repot, it was ugly. What is all this white junk, you can also see a few white inscets that roam around on the bottom?
Mike
This Cory elephantides hasn't done well (I killed one last year) and I noticed some scale on it. When I went to repot, it was ugly. What is all this white junk, you can also see a few white inscets that roam around on the bottom?
Mike
Hi Mike- looks like a mealy bug infestation to me. Some forms of root mealies have a larval stage that is right at the soil line (or on spines) and sometimes mealies can roam around pretty actively when they're young.
Soap or insecticide bath, alcohol on a q-tip, repeat in about two weeks. I usually just leave plants like this unpotted during the whole treatment.
peterb
Soap or insecticide bath, alcohol on a q-tip, repeat in about two weeks. I usually just leave plants like this unpotted during the whole treatment.
peterb
yes that looks like root mealie's to me, just getting over an attack of that here 
(lost 4 plants before i realised what was happening) check the rest of your plants too they spread along the staging under the pots 
i treated the whole collection with a dose of systemic insecticide all 350 of them and all the seedlings too, just to be sure i got rid of them.
(lost 4 plants before i realised what was happening) check the rest of your plants too they spread along the staging under the pots i treated the whole collection with a dose of systemic insecticide all 350 of them and all the seedlings too, just to be sure i got rid of them.incurable cactoholic
growing rebutia's with a mix of others.
growing rebutia's with a mix of others.
Hello Mike,
I concur with the previous responders. You are definitely looking at mealy bugs. Those guys are really nasty and not easy to kill. The adults are located under the white waxy material. When you place them in isopropyl alcohol you should be able to see their pink bodies. I would also advise you to take drastic action and use systemic insecticide. I did try for weeks to kill them when the plants were bare-root and only had limited success. I had submerged the whole plant for more than an hour at a time in rather warm soapy water and even used rubbing alcohol on them. Even after several "treatments" I was still not sure that I had wiped them out! They are tenacious to say the least.
I do wish you success with your plants.
Harald
I concur with the previous responders. You are definitely looking at mealy bugs. Those guys are really nasty and not easy to kill. The adults are located under the white waxy material. When you place them in isopropyl alcohol you should be able to see their pink bodies. I would also advise you to take drastic action and use systemic insecticide. I did try for weeks to kill them when the plants were bare-root and only had limited success. I had submerged the whole plant for more than an hour at a time in rather warm soapy water and even used rubbing alcohol on them. Even after several "treatments" I was still not sure that I had wiped them out! They are tenacious to say the least.
I do wish you success with your plants.
Harald
Yep -I have had plenty of those on my plants -mealie bugs arghh! 
Anyway, I am currently having the least trouble with them as I've followed the recommendation of one of the members of the OCCSS.
She said they treated all their plants with Bayer systemic insecticide. It is a liquid and is designed for trees and shrubs -so the label says. I used it about a month ago and have since noticed a dramatic decrease in mealie/scale infestations. The other nice thing is it is a once per year application.
Daiv
Anyway, I am currently having the least trouble with them as I've followed the recommendation of one of the members of the OCCSS.
She said they treated all their plants with Bayer systemic insecticide. It is a liquid and is designed for trees and shrubs -so the label says. I used it about a month ago and have since noticed a dramatic decrease in mealie/scale infestations. The other nice thing is it is a once per year application.
Daiv
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Bayer Tree & Shrub is, not surprisingly, labelled only for outdoor use. The same active ingredient, Imidacloprid, is also in some very common lawn treatments, but I don't think there is a product on the US market intended for potted plants. The label on the Tree & Shrub will not tell you how much to use on your cacti.Hi Daiv- is Bayer suitable for indoor or greenhouse applications? I have heard of it being best for outdoor plantings, and not recommended (due to toxicity or something) for indoor/greenhouse.
In the UK, Imidacloprid is available formulated for indoor and outdoor potted plants and also for lawns but not so far as I know for other outdoor uses (except in agriculture). It is not registered for domestic use on edible plants. All insecticides are toxic, use accordingly.
The appropriate concentration for use as a soil drench (drench is the wrong word really, you don't need to completely drench the soil) is 150ppm. You can spray at the same concentration. There is a ready-to-use spray product at 125ppm and an aerosol at 250ppm, obviously you spray less onto the plants with the aerosol.
Imidacloprid used once a year, maybe twice, will mean you have no mealies. Until they develop resistance. Unfortunately this is the only systemic insecticide available in Europe, there is no alternative to rotate applications, and resistance is already being reported in some insects. Imidacloprid is not effective against spider mites, so don't get complacent. Imidacloprid in some outdoor applications has caused spider mite blooms as it can kill predator species.
--ian