Mealybug Problem

Ugh!!! That stinks, plant pests are a real... uh...pest. I think mealybugs have a similar treatment to aphids. I recently cleaned a plan of an aphid infestation and it was a pita - but I took extra care, as I didn't want to risk spreading them to my other plants.

What I did was initially squirt the plant down with as much pressure as it could handle without damaging the plant. Be sure to get the tops, undersides and stems of the leaves really good. That will dislodge a lot of them.

Then I made a soapy spray with dawn dish soap and a little rubbing alcohol, and I sprayed the enter plant. I tried to lather up the leaves and stems as best I could. Let it sit a few minutes then rinse it with pressure again.

Then I took rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and I pinned the leaves between it to wipe both the top and bottom of the leave with a generous amount of rubbing alcohol. This pulled off a lot of insects, still... so once the paper towel had some bugs on it I replaced it with a clean one.

Then I repeated the entire process at least one more time. It was painstaking, but I haven't' had any issues since. Make sure you flush the soil out well as you'll get all that soapy water dripping down onto it. This process didn't hurt the isopods living in the plant!
 
Ugh!!! That stinks, plant pests are a real... uh...pest. I think mealybugs have a similar treatment to aphids. I recently cleaned a plan of an aphid infestation and it was a pita - but I took extra care, as I didn't want to risk spreading them to my other plants.

What I did was initially squirt the plant down with as much pressure as it could handle without damaging the plant. Be sure to get the tops, undersides and stems of the leaves really good. That will dislodge a lot of them.

Then I made a soapy spray with dawn dish soap and a little rubbing alcohol, and I sprayed the enter plant. I tried to lather up the leaves and stems as best I could. Let it sit a few minutes then rinse it with pressure again.

Then I took rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and I pinned the leaves between it to wipe both the top and bottom of the leave with a generous amount of rubbing alcohol. This pulled off a lot of insects, still... so once the paper towel had some bugs on it I replaced it with a clean one.

Then I repeated the entire process at least one more time. It was painstaking, but I haven't' had any issues since. Make sure you flush the soil out well as you'll get all that soapy water dripping down onto it. This process didn't hurt the isopods living in the plant!
Ok thank you! Right now it’s only on one pothos. I just have to deal with my gnat problem next
 
Yea and the other night I had to sacrifice one because it wouldn’t stop making noises. None of them can fly all wing are deformed (y)
Even just looking at them is enough to make me squirm. But I know I'm probably going to end up there one day too... Pesto loves the flying ones :oops:
 
Ok thank you! Right now it’s only on one pothos. I just have to deal with my gnat problem next
I just bought the starter collection off that predator plant website you showed me. I realized I have a ton of gnats in my house right now because I've been growing a ton of stuff right now. Need that sundew asap
 
Even just looking at them is enough to make me squirm. But I know I'm probably going to end up there one day too... Pesto loves the flying ones :oops:
It’s an amazing staple feeder the chameleons love them. I love watching larry and Imelda get excited for them. Eventually I will let the wings form when I’m not so scared of the moth
 
meh, I don't worry about the gnats unless they're outside the cage. They're my people, after all.

Outside of the cage I put sticky traps in the base of plants my chameleon's don't have access to (a plant in the kitchen window, a fern in the bathroom, etc). I also got a sundew and butterwort that I keep in my kitchen window. The butterwort hasn't done anything but the sundew has lots of gnats and event a BSFL (which is huge for my tiny sundew).
 
I just bought the starter collection off that predator plant website you showed me. I realized I have a ton of gnats in my house right now because I've been growing a ton of stuff right now. Need that sundew asap
I think I’m going to make a trip to there green house to pick up the sundew and pitcher lol I just thought of what you said about the pitcher plant lol
 
meh, I don't worry about the gnats unless they're outside the cage. They're my people, after all.

Outside of the cage I put sticky traps in the base of plants my chameleon's don't have access to (a plant in the kitchen window, a fern in the bathroom, etc). I also got a sundew and butterwort that I keep in my kitchen window. The butterwort hasn't done anything but the sundew has lots of gnats and event a BSFL (which is huge for my tiny sundew).
I don’t think I know what a butterwort is going to look that one up
 
I think I’m going to make a trip to there green house to pick up the sundew and pitcher lol I just thought of what you said about the pitcher plant lol
Lucky that you get to just go to the green house. Send me lots of pictures!! And lol those poor plants, forever phallic :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
 
its another predatory plant, but mine is the size of a quarter and hasn't pulled its weight. Didn't catch a single gnat yet! What a slacker. Go with the sundew!
 
its another predatory plant, but mine is the size of a quarter and hasn't pulled its weight. Didn't catch a single gnat yet! What a slacker. Go with the sundew!
I just looked it up it’s really cute looking. I keep hearing amazing things about sundews so definitely getting one
 
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