Mealybugs

[BlufftonSC]

I bought some Malathion. Any better ideas for getting rid of Mealybugs? They really multiplied on the palms I brought indoors for nearly 2 weeks during the freeze.

[Kris]

Even iam experiencing the same thing with my palms and after rainy season now we are heading for a early spring season.I think that chemical works like a charm for me.

love,

kris

[Succulentum]

The best product is Imidaclopride (Confidor) but don't use it with bees around. I use it two times a year in greenhouses not outdoor (bees' problem ) principaly on cacti and some palms in dry conditions, it's systemic and work well.

jean-bernard

[Davidl]

Not sure if there is something better than malathion but I would think there is something safer. I hope you have more responses because I'm interested myself in knowing what to use.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Davidl

[mnorell]

Are the palms in a damaged or weakened state? If not, why don't you just hose off the mealybugs and, providing you can leave the palms outside most of the time, you should have no further problems due to natural predators. Ladybugs love mealybugs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I stay away from Malathion and all other pesticides. I have a balanced ecosystem as a result, with very few insect problems. There are internet sources for natural predators if your populations are low due to winter or just not normally high in your area. You can also get red of the current infestation with a spray of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water.

[BlufftonSC]

Are the palms in a damaged or weakened state? If not, why don't you just hose off the mealybugs and, providing you can leave the palms outside most of the time, you should have no further problems due to natural predators. Ladybugs love mealybugs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I stay away from Malathion and all other pesticides. I have a balanced ecosystem as a result, with very few insect problems. There are internet sources for natural predators if your populations are low due to winter or just not normally high in your area. You can also get red of the current infestation with a spray of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water.

Thanks for the alternate treatment ideas. I like to stay away from insecticides, but nothing else is working. It's been an ongoing problem since summer, even after blasting them off and doing the alcohol wipe. Does the half and half alcohol and water spray really work? How much do you spray... until it drips or go lighter? And how often would I need to spray to eliminate them? I might try that on some of my plants with slight infestations.

[BlufftonSC]

The best product is Imidaclopride (Confidor) but don't use it with bees around. I use it two times a year in greenhouses not outdoor (bees' problem ) principaly on cacti and some palms in dry conditions, it's systemic and work well.

jean-bernard

I tried that and I think it became a food source for those things. Definitely didn't get rid of them entirely.

[Tyrone]

Contact pesticides don't really work on mealy bugs and scale because there shells are either hard (scale) or waxy (mealy bugs) repelling the pesticide. With these you need either a systemic which will get into the plant or something to suffocate them such as horticultural oil. The oil is much better on the environment and humans, but you must cover the whole plant to get all the bugs including the microscopic crawlers, never do it when temps may exceed 30C, as the plant may burn, some plants will burn at any temp. You may have to reapply a few days later due to new eggs hatching and starting the pest cycle again. Systemics though more toxic stay in the system for longer, don't tend to have the burning probs (still be careful with temp though) and get to anything that feeds on the plant. Reapplication is generally needed to get the new eggs that hatch and resume the pest cycle. A few reapplications even when it looks clear should do the trick.

Best regards

Tyrone

[BS Man about Palms]

Everytime I see this thread title, I keep expecting to see these...

[newtothis]

Will all these systemics work for grubs in pots too? It think they grubs, white fat little worms curled up like a "c" in the soil

[mnorell]

Will all these systemics work for grubs in pots too? It think they grubs, white fat little worms curled up like a "c" in the soil

What kind of grubs are you wanting to destroy? Are they causing harm to your plants? Many grubs are beneficial, and form an important food source for birds and other animals as well. Please remember, unless you have a severe and damaging infestation, to think carefully about upsetting the balance of life in the ecosystem around you. It can cause (and has caused) tremendous imbalances in wildlife of all sizes and forms if you start tinkering without very good reason.

[newtothis]

Will all these systemics work for grubs in pots too? It think they grubs, white fat little worms curled up like a "c" in the soil

What kind of grubs are you wanting to destroy? Are they causing harm to your plants? Many grubs are beneficial, and form an important food source for birds and other animals as well. Please remember, unless you have a severe and damaging infestation, to think carefully about upsetting the balance of life in the ecosystem around you. It can cause (and has caused) tremendous imbalances in wildlife of all sizes and forms if you start tinkering without very good reason.

The kind that look like fat white little "c's". Don't they eat the roots? I repotted a king by barerooting and replacing all of the potting soil. The long roots were there but really no finer root system. So I wanted to treat all my pots which I highly doubt will tremendously imbalance our ecosystem.

[mnorell]

Newtothis--

There are many, many species of grubs that look like fat white little "c's" and I would advise you to specifically identify them and any negative effect they might be having on your plants before setting out on a chemical warfare regime. These little critters exist in fairly large numbers in my garden soil and never have bothered a thing materially, as far as I can discern. Some species are damaging turf-pests, but many of them assist in breaking down rotting vegetation, and serve as an important food source for birds and other animals. My point is just not to assume the grubs you're finding are doing particular harm to your plants (but that's not to say that they might not be) before going on a large-scale eradication plan. There's much information on the internet regarding how to deal sensibly with the more damaging grubs if they have for some reason fallen out of balance with the other wildlife in your garden, including information on natural predators that can be introduced to reduce their numbers.

[Mark Heath]

Will all these systemics work for grubs in pots too? It think they grubs, white fat little worms curled up like a "c" in the soil

What kind of grubs are you wanting to destroy? Are they causing harm to your plants? Many grubs are beneficial, and form an important food source for birds and other animals as well. Please remember, unless you have a severe and damaging infestation, to think carefully about upsetting the balance of life in the ecosystem around you. It can cause (and has caused) tremendous imbalances in wildlife of all sizes and forms if you start tinkering without very good reason.

The kind that look like fat white little "c's". Don't they eat the roots? I repotted a king by barerooting and replacing all of the potting soil. The long roots were there but really no finer root system. So I wanted to treat all my pots which I highly doubt will tremendously imbalance our ecosystem.

Newtothis,

I use a pelleted ant control that i buy at home depot called Triacide, misspelled it but you will know what i mean when you see it. You put in your pot and then water and "POOF" all the pest under the soil level will be toast!! Ants, grubs, mealy bugs, ect!! It is commonly used to put on fire ant mounds, but it does fantastic w/ all under the soil bugs.

I had a large comunity bin 3ftx 5ft of XButiagrus seedlings that were declining fast. I bare-rooted a few and i had mealy bugs. I do not have that problem anymore!!!!!

I will say that Malathion is bad stuff, it has been banned because it does'nt break down and can infiltrate your well water and everyone elses over prolonged use.

[MattyB]

I don't know why anyone would use anything else but WATER on mealy bugs. They are the easiest thing in the world to spray off and it seems to work better than pesticide. Just blast 'em.