We've Got Bugs!! How To Get Rid Of Mealy Bugs!

Mealy bugs are tiny soft bodied insects surrounded by a fuzzy white mess around stems and leaf nodes of plants. These are common indoor and outdoor pests. They are related to scale insects & cause damage to plants by sucking the nutrients from their host plants. The visible bugs are females & they hide their eggs in the fluffy white excetions/powder. Eggs hatch in about 10 days & the nymphs move to another area of the plant to develop and further damage the plant. Male mealy bugs are tiny winged insects & are rarely seen on plants. Mealy bugs favor new growth, damaged or weak plants. They take over causing the leaves to turn yellow and drop off the plant. They also cause fruits, vegetables, and flower buds to drop off. In bad infestations, the waxy excretions cause the development of sooty mold fungus.
The best control of mealy bugs is defensive; keeping your plants healthy, vigorous, and potted correctly. If you see mealy bugs on your plants, you want to act swiftly. If an infestation can't be controlled after a few weeks, you may need to consider getting rid of the plant before the bugs spread to other plants in your home. Watch Educator, Serina tackle the mealy bugs on our hibiscus trees at the Wise & Well Center for Healthy Living.