Mealy Bug Control
These small, white, powdery-looking insects are sapsuckers that attack a wide range of plants including indoor plants, citrus and custard apples. Adults are generally 3-4 mm long. Ants can be responsible for moving them from plant to plant. The presence of mealy bugs will also encourage black sooty mould to appear on the leaves.
Suggested Organic Strategies
- Use horticultural glues around tree trunks to aid biological control of mealy bugs, as ants defend these pests from attack by their natural enemies to maintain their supply of honeydew.
- Spraying with chemical insecticides often encourages the mealy bugs as the sprays will kill off all their natural enemies.
- Natural enemies include wasp parasitoids and ladybeetles. The adult wasps feed on nectar, planting a Good Bug Mix will help attract these 'good bugs'.
- Beneficial insects are available commercially to control this pest from Bugs for Bugs ph 07 41654663.
Suggested Products:
Eco-Oil
Eco-Neem
Horticultural Glues
Natrasoap
Pyrethrum
