If anybody is struggling with mealy bugs. This right here is the truth son. Tried doing the old fashioned alcohol and water plus qtips for weeks. Finally gave up and went to the garden center and was told to by this. In two treatments I ain’t seen the bastards once. Was really worried I was going to lose my really established P. Afras
by Dj_willywill
4 Comments
Eeek! Looking for remedies for pest infestations? Check out the **[Pests, Diseases, and Other Problems wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/pests_and_diseases/)**.
Concerned you have pests, but aren’t sure what they are? See the links below for actual pictures of the pests in question on BugGuide.net to help you figure it out.
**[Aphids](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=aphids&search=Search)** come in either green or black or red/brown. **[Mealybugs](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=mealybug)** are white or gray, and appear fuzzy. **[Scale insects](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=scale+insect)** present as uniform shaped raised bumps, that can generally be picked off without damage to the plant. **[Fungus gnats](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=fungus+gnat&search=Search)** are small black flying insects. On their own, they’re not harmful, but can be in large infestations. **[Thrips](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=thrips)** are very small, and long and skinny. **[Spider mites](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Tetranychidae)** are microscopically small, and are usually present in large numbers and webbings. Don’t mistake red spiders for spider mites, spiders are helpful, and will eat bad pests! **[Flat Mites](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Tenuipalpidae+&search=Search)** are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Damage will appear as a burn-like appearance on either the leaf margin or where the leaf connects to the stem; and can be present on the stem as well. Damage examples can be found [linked in our Pest wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/pests_and_diseases/#wiki_false_spider_mites.2C_aka_flat_mites).
Harmless bugs are often in soil. For example, **[Springtails](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Springtails&search=Search)** or **[Orobatid Mites](https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Oribatida&search=Search)** are often in soils and just eat decaying organic matter. They do not hurt living plants.
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I kind of want to get a look at that elephant bush in the background. Looks pretty interesting and that’s my favorite variety right now.
Thanks for this. The alcohol swab/10% solution did some major damage to some of my succulents and I felt so bad after seeing them like that.
Did this leave any marks or destroy any foliage? I’m adding this to my list as the aphids just keep coming back. Even after soil replacements and multiple treatments as well as submerges.
Literally going to buy tomorrow. Thanks, hoss