I'm really struggling with a mealy bug infestation on my strelitzia. I've tried spraying them off, washing the plant, even replacing the soil and pot. No matter what I do, they keep coming back! Does anyone have effective strategies to tackle this problem, or should I just give up on this plant altogether?
3 Answers
Mealy bugs are tricky! The adult bugs can be picked off easily, but it's the tiny juveniles that cause the most trouble since they’re almost invisible. I recommend hosing the plant down at least once a week and keeping an eye on the leaf axles where they like to hide. I also had luck with predatory mites—they really helped reduce my infestation. Just remember that if the plant has lots of hiding spots, it can be a tough battle since one egg can start everything all over again!
I recently read about using ladybugs to combat mealy bugs, and it’s been working well for me! If you introduce some ladybugs into your plant's environment, they’ll munch on the mealy bugs and help keep them under control.
First off, can you tell us which plant you're dealing with? Knowing the type can help with advice. If it's not a super delicate plant, using rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab can be effective. It's a bit tedious, but it really does help kill them off. I've been dealing with a similar situation myself and have been successful by removing the most infested leaves.