Systemic Insecticide

[swayland]

I have noticed mealy bugs and scale on several of my smaller potted palms. I also noticed a white powdery substance on some of my larger palms. It is particularly noticeable when an old frond falls off. This occurs on an Areca and Kentiopsis that I have.

I got some good advice previously on how to treat the potted palms. I tried neem oil for several weeks with little to no visual effects. I then purchased the Bayer Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed. This seems to be doing the trick.

Question: Should I apply this to all of my palms to prevent possible infestations or only when a problem is noticed.

Also, I was told by someone that imidacloprid is a good systemic, but the only place I see that it is available for purchase is on the internet.

[Gtlevine]

The systemic works very well but only use it on the plant that needs it. Make sure for six months after you use it that the palm does not flower. If it sends a spike up cut it off. They say bees will bring the poison pollen back to their hive and wipe them out. Better safe than sorry.

[Tropicdoc]

I also have what I believe is scale on my 2 potted hybrid palms. Disappointed to here your results with neem oil, since I invested time and money on neem yesterday.

[PalmatierMeg]

It would be very costly to treat everything. Treat only affected plants. The problem with the Bayer liquids is they are only about 12% imidacloprid. I have a slew of palms and tropical trees, so I've gone to a powder by Merit. It is 75% imidacloprid and comes in a 2 oz. container that makes 100 gallons (1/4 tsp per 2.5 gallons). Each bottle costs ~$40 and is probably available only on the internet for most people. I have an eBay seller 20 miles from me who also carries lots of other horticultural products. She lets me come by to pick stuff up to save shipping. But shipping a 2 oz. plastic bottle can't be too expensive.

[LJG]

1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

It would be very costly to treat everything. Treat only affected plants. The problem with the Bayer liquids is they are only about 12% imidacloprid. I have a slew of palms and tropical trees, so I've gone to a powder by Merit. It is 75% imidacloprid and comes in a 2 oz. container that makes 100 gallons (1/4 tsp per 2.5 gallons). Each bottle costs ~$40 and is probably available only on the internet for most people. I have an eBay seller 20 miles from me who also carries lots of other horticultural products. She lets me come by to pick stuff up to save shipping. But shipping a 2 oz. plastic bottle can't be too expensive.

Most Bayer products have less than 1% of an active Neonicotinoid ingredient. 

One product that I love is the CoreTect pellets that have 20% Imidiclorpid. You get 250 pellets for about $115. I get coverage through most our SoCal active growing periods using this product. Plus it beats mixing and pouring.

[NorthFlpalmguy]

Dominion 2L Adonis 2F, Merit 75,  the Imidacloprid products at much higher strengths go on and on. Cheap and decently long-lasting systematic.

[swayland]

Thanks all for the response/suggestions. it looks like domyownpestcontrol.com has a good selection.

Does the designation 2F T/I or 2F T&O make a difference?

[Gonzer]

4 hours ago, LJG said:

Most Bayer products have less than 1% of an active Neonicotinoid ingredient. 

One product that I love is the CoreTect pellets that have 20% Imidiclorpid. You get 250 pellets for about $115. I get coverage through most our SoCal active growing periods using this product. Plus it beats mixing and pouring.

CoreTect is great, Merit 2.5G is better (if you can find an old stash) and my new favorite is Safari 20SG. This can be used as a topically-applied AND a soil drench utilizing 20% Dinotefuran. Good stuff. Changing the products you use helps the nasties from building a tolerance.

[LJG]

Gonz, I was just told to use Safari on a whitefly issue I have on my greenhouse Hibiscus. They are immune to everything I have tried. Good to hear another referral for Safari. 

[sashaeffer]

Isn't AVID a systemic through foliar spray?

[PalmatierMeg]

2 hours ago, sashaeffer said:

Isn't AVID a systemic through foliar spray?

Avid is a miticide but it probably kills insect pests too. I alternate it with another miticide to combat spider mites on my container garden. Mites are notoriously hard to treat and resist insect pesticides. But Avid is very expensive and toxic and should be used outside only. I wear neoprene gloves and a face mask when I use it and make sure the cats are indoors and the winds are calm. I never use it as a preventative, only when I see mite activity. 

[Monòver]

AVID (abamectin) is an insecticide-miticide. Very good for mites and leafminers, but not the best for scales, mealy bugs and whiteflyes. Also, we use this in endoterapy against redweevils in palmtrees.

Spirotetramat ( in Spain, Movento by Bayer ) is my favourite for kill whiteflyes, scales and mealy bugs in greenhouses.

But always, the best with whiteflyes is use 3 or more diferent insecticides in the growing season.

[foxtail]

What about Malathion?

[Monòver]

Malathion is a clasic insecticide. It is cheap and one option with scales and mealy bugs.

But today, we have insecticides less dangerous and Malathion must be the last option.

[LJG]

8 hours ago, sashaeffer said:

Isn't AVID a systemic through foliar spray?

Avid is a contact killer but has translaminar properties. To what degree depends on the plant. 

[foxtail]

3 hours ago, Monòver said:

Malathion is a clasic insecticide. It is cheap and one option with scales and mealy bugs.

But today, we have insecticides less dangerous and Malathion must be the last option.

Dangerous, for the plants or for the people?

[Monòver]

For the people, animals, bees, etc

[foxtail]

And this one? 

[mwardlow]

Hey Gonzer, what is your ratio for Safari 20SG? I have been using 1 teaspoon per gallon of water.

Thanks

Mike

[Sandy Loam]

Hello all.  In the photos below, is this something that I can cure with imidacloprid?  I don't what it is?  Is it some type of palm scale? Something else?  I just found it on one of my pseudophoenix Sargentii.  I have another pseudophoenix Sargentii just three feet away, so I am afraid that it will spread.

I appreciate any advice (or diagnosis) that you can offer.

[Sandy Loam]

... and as this next photo shows, this white substance is present right down to the growing point of this palm, although less prominent there.  Up higher, this white substance is literally is covering an entire frond (picture above) but I don't know what it is.

Do I need to dig this palm up immediately and destroy it before this spreads?

Thanks all!

[Jesse]

Looks Like a bad case of mealy bug to me.  I believe a good imidacloprid systematic should take care of it. I don't think you need to dig it up and remove it but I guess it depends on how worried you are of it's spreading.  Judging by the pictures though this a heavy infestation and it might have already started to spread.  IMO, it probably wouldn't hurt to use the insecticide on the surrounding palms as well to keep them protected.

[Sandy Loam]

Thank you.  Are you aware of any other palms or plants that are particularly susceptible to mealy bugs?   I have a mule palm right nearby this pseudophoenix Sargentii, as well as a yucca elephantipes, a philodendron seloum, a sygraus romzoffiana, an archontophoenix cunninghamiana, a bismarckia nobilis not far away.... And more.

[Darold Petty]

Don't wait for the systemic to do all the work, it takes time for the palm to uptake the imidacloprid from the soil.  Blast off the visible pests with a forceful spray of water, and/or spray with something non-toxic like horticultural oil.   Good luck !       

[Gonzer]

For all of you parents who worry about the kids or Fido growing an extra limb from exposure to the above mentioned chemicals rest assured there's a much safer alternative but it's not residual. Soil surfactants (wetting agents) work great for immediate relief from nasties on your plants. About 1/2 teaspoon in 32 ozs of water, applied with a bottle sprayer, will kill anything it comes in contact with. Smother's 'em. It also will kill the beneficials if your aim is crappy but it is THE safest spray I've ever used. Like I said, it's a short-term solution while the other chemicals work their way into the plant's system.

[Hobb]

Actually, imidicloprid is one of the active ingredients in  Bayer Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed and is effective as systemic when folowing directions to drench the soil in potted plants.

[DAVEinMB]

On 12/15/2017 at 5:21 PM, Gonzer said:

For all of you parents who worry about the kids or Fido growing an extra limb from exposure to the above mentioned chemicals rest assured there's a much safer alternative but it's not residual. Soil surfactants (wetting agents) work great for immediate relief from nasties on your plants. About 1/2 teaspoon in 32 ozs of water, applied with a bottle sprayer, will kill anything it comes in contact with. Smother's 'em. It also will kill the beneficials if your aim is crappy but it is THE safest spray I've ever used. Like I said, it's a short-term solution while the other chemicals work their way into the plant's system.

Any product in particular you lean towards? I have a rapidly expanding scale infestation that I'm trying to get under control. 

I've tried Sevin spray, neem oil spray, and an alcohol/water/soap mixture spray. It's gotten to the point where I'm just lopping off fronds/limbs and burning them. 

[D Palm]

@DAVEinMB feetilome systemic insecticide has been the only thing to work for mealy bugs and scale in my yard. I treat annually. There is one I use on my citrus for citrus leaf miner that is in a blue container at Lowe’s. Works well but 2-3 times more expensive. Does not affect flower/fruit so I assume it would be safe for bees…even though my yard is still swarming with bees this time of year.

Edited October 27, 2021 by D Palm

[Laaz]

Bayer Advanced.

[Merlyn]

I tried neem oil for hard scale, and it did nothing except burn the fronds on my Revoluta.  That can happen in sunny areas and is why i read that spraying in the evening is better.  It never worked for me on soft or hard scale.  For soft scale I do a quick spray with acephate or malathion, and follow up with a soil drench of imadicloprid.   That usually cures the infestation, only agave Desmettiana seems to get recurring infestations.