I have had a huge problem with, what I think is, Mealy bugs. I have done everything to get rid of them. I started out with sraying the soapy water, then dunking the plant into the water, then up rooting the plant and cutting it down and soaking the whole thing in soapy water, i've sprayed insecticide and I STILL had them! so, i threw out all of my plants. I started over about 5 months later with new pots and everything. Now, today i've discovered THEY"RE BACK!! I'm starting to think that they might be a natural occurrence?? I have only seen them in the dirt, never in clusters or under the leaves. They are tiny, tiny little white specs that scurry around in the dirt. If you look closely at the dirt for them, you won't see them right away. You have to sit and stare at the dirt and focus your eyes on every detail. Once your eyes have adjusted you see them everywhere! That might sound crazy, lol. Other people have agreed with me on this. The plant still lives but, it doesn't thrive. The water doesn't get soaked up as fast and it just doesn't look as well as it should. What are these things and what can I do??? I'm going crazy, lol.
mealy bug isnt a soil insect that I have ever seen. a lot of times when there are soil borne insects in potted plants it is due to a moisture control issue. too wet, too dry, no air in the soil for the roots to interact with. Personally I have maybe 15 houseplants of varying sizes and species, when I notice they just start to wilt or look a little sluggish, I fill a water can with tap water, let it stand on the counter overnight and water them the next morning. havent had bugs of any sort that I have noticed in years (I had spider mites on a dieffenbachia a couple of years ago and decided to cut it down to base level, throw it outside for the summer and they havent returned). For someone that visits greenhouses regularly and see a number of insect laden plants daily, I think I am faring well so far. any chance of a nice macro picture of the insects you have? That may make it easier to pinpoint a species and control method.
I have been reading some articles and I can't figure this out. Could they be Root Mealy-bugs? You say no Mealy's live in soil. Could they live in the house? Is that why they came back? It's the middle of winter here. What about oils, some people say that is effective. I don't want to harm my plants.
:) I posted this then went and did some poking around, the other thread has the better information I believe
OKay, Can you tell me which one you would use? These bugs are in bone dry plants as well as wet ones. What do you think about Root Mealy bugs? Unfortunately, there is no way for me to get a pic for you. All I can say is they're little white bugs, no wings, no gnats flying around. There is white on the soil. Which looks like mold but, like I said, it's on the dry plants, too. I honestly wait until the soil is dry before watering. There is no web or nesting around the plants, either. The closest match I can find is root mealy..but, you say mealy don't live in the dirt. I'm stumped! At this point I just want to spray something and be rid of them. I have tried 2 insecticides, 1 basically burned my plants and the other did nothing. This is why i'm looking for specifics. Tried and true. Thanx, again.
They are not mealybugs. Mealybugs are easy to identify by their rice grain shape and their slow movement. What you are having a problem with is almost certainly Springtails. Many of the springtails are very tiny. They vary in color, most being white or off-white, and they move rapidly for their tiny size. They are found in wet, or damp places, where organic matter can be found. Wet leaves, rotted wood, damp soil, etc. Extremely common in potted plants. Under close examination, they look like a bunch of almost microscopic little white things moving about, all over the soil. Letting the soil dry out before watering won't always cure the problem. You may have to risk the plants health to achieve the dryness necessary. The simplest fix would be to repot, making sure you wash the entire plant including the roots. Use a new or thoroughly cleaned pot. Also examine the new soil very carefully first. Good Luck.
As suggested, they(the critters) might be springtails. They ARE tiny, about 1/25 to1/12 of an inch long. (Sorry metric fans). White to grayish in color, they have a forked structure on the rear of the body that enables them to jump. Springtails live in mulch and wet soil, but can migrate into homes in large numbers. They feed on molds and decaying vegetation. In light of this, I can't see that these guys harming your plants. I would almost presume that something else is the culprit. An interesting problem. Other than 'you have critters', I don't know what the problem is. Are these guys damaging the plants, or, is it just the 'idea' that you have bugs? (I understand that no person relishes bugs). Are your little guys jumpers? The situation intrigues me, and, I'm sure, others. Give us a little more info.
jimmyq: I've been a Florida Master Gardener for over 10 years, and until your post, had never heard of ROOT MEALY BUGS! Wow! I will check with the University of Florida research folks and see what I can learn about the critters in Fla. Thanks for he 'heads up'.
jimmyq: Thanks for the attachment. I have printed it and will take it in for other Florida Master Gardeners to add to the education.
