Re: [aroid-l] Mealy bugs on Amorphophallus.

From: Neil Gordon neil at ng23.abelgratis.co.uk> on 2003.11.15 at 03:07:14(10805) Ive taken to just squashing them when i see them, ill have to be a bit more intense with the sprays then. Nearly all of my other plants are succulents and caudiciforms, and apart for some Aloes, ive not seen them on any other plants, but theyre coming from somewhere! Thanks for the advice. Neil +More On Friday, November 14, 2003, at 10:54 pm, Dan Levin wrote: Neil- I also had the misfortune of a mealybug invasion some time ago. Kinder & gentler methodologies aside, the only effective approach was the repeated use of systemic insecticides. In my case, a two installment spray/ drench application of Merit (= Imidacloprid) spaced 3 - 4 weeks apart resulted in complete control with zero phytotoxicity noted on any of my very mixed collection. As you've noticed, mealy's can be difficult pests to eradicate. This is especially so if your plants have been targeted by "root mealybugs"; surface/ contact sprays never seem to completely eliminate them. You would also be well advised to treat your entire collection; at the very least all of those plants growing in the same area as your bulbifer. In my experience there is no such thing as a mealybug infestation limited to just a single plant (well, this assumes you're growing more than just one plant!), especially if the pests have been evident for some time. Best of luck, -Dan

Note: this is a very old post, so no reply function is available.