I know the one in the middle is cobweb something but are the ones on the sides different from each other? They look kinda similar. http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j82/cleopatra143/IMG_0691.jpg
The plants in the corners are four different species, but they are young and not from the genera that I specialize in, so I cannot say much about their names. I think the one in the upper left corner is a Coryphantha, the next (clockwise) a Ferocactus (glaucescens?) with mealy bugs, then a Melocactus(?). I cannot see much of the last one.
Thanks Mandarin. I wasn't sure what the heck was coexisting with that second cactus. Guess I'll have to find a way to deal with it now. hehe
The visible ones (females and eggs) can be removed with a water jet. The nymphs are more difficult, they are very small and fast-moving, so they can spread quickly to other plants. You need to treat all plants in that bowl with an insecticide, and watch out for outbreaks on plants placed close to it, if any. It can take time to get rid of them, mealy bugs (especially root mealy bugs that feed on the roots) is in my opinion one of the worst threats to cacti and other succulents, together with false spider mites and fungi/bacteria.
