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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 27, 2014 21:02:36 GMT -5
I'll admit they're efficient little insects. And a nasty combo, I agree. For some reason I'm reminded of the flying monkeys from the wizard of oz. I mean, evil monkeys that also FLY!?
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Post by lloyd on Aug 27, 2014 23:01:33 GMT -5
I think you should wash the roots of affected plants. Too much chance they under the soil. Whenever I've had succulents with mealies, I've washed all the soil off and dunked the whole plant, roots and all in pure alcohol. Of course that would kill most plants.
They are really devilish. That's why it's easier to just destroy plants that are easy to replace.
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 28, 2014 5:19:31 GMT -5
I fully intend on cleaning off the roots, just haven't had the time. Unfortunately I'm dealing with all this as I return from vacation from the Bahamas. It's a busy week. This weekend I should be able to put the time in.
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 28, 2014 5:23:09 GMT -5
I'm fortunate enough to have caught it fairly early I think. There is very little of the waxy stuff, and only a few plants seem affected. The only infected that I'm really attached to is the almost flowering Drosera burmanii (humpty doo variety), but I figure I can possibly still get seed from it, and start over. Burmanii eventually die off anyway, but they just happened to be looking really good right now.
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Post by ng on Aug 28, 2014 11:57:12 GMT -5
I feel you pain brah! Im on my deck with a ghillie suit trying to battle these effin red mites as we speak
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Post by lloyd on Aug 28, 2014 12:38:39 GMT -5
I threw away a Portulaca afra with spider mites. Just wasn't worth the trouble or risk of contamination.
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Post by ng on Aug 28, 2014 12:43:02 GMT -5
Still stands as one of my favorite plant names... Pooortuuuulaaaca :-D
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Post by StickyIcky on Sept 4, 2014 11:16:32 GMT -5
Just a small update, I've repotted the worst cases, and have been treating with neem once a week, and with pyrethrin spray (on separate days) once a week. So far most of my sundews have been tolerating the spraying. A few of my young Natalensis are dying, but bigger ones seem ok. The good news is that mealy bug population is waaaaay down. I have a hard time spotting a few, whereas a couple of weeks ago, certain pots were infested. I will keep up with the weekly treatments and see how things go.
All that being said, I had some nice, uninfected capensis on the window sill. I came home yesterday to find that a pest of a different kind decided to have a go at them. KITTIES!!! Kitties knocked everything down, peat and brown water all over the carpet, the wall, curtains, bed...
What kind of spray do I use on a pest of this caliber?
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Post by ng on Sept 4, 2014 11:45:17 GMT -5
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Post by StickyIcky on Sept 4, 2014 17:50:49 GMT -5
One of my favorite shows man. New season on Netflix tomorrow!
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Post by ng on Sept 4, 2014 18:08:06 GMT -5
Oh man, i'v been chomping at the bit for it.
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Post by StickyIcky on Sept 5, 2014 13:01:06 GMT -5
Today! I'll probably binge watch the whole season.
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Post by StickyIcky on Sept 10, 2014 11:50:08 GMT -5
Could springtails cause an infestation? At root/soil level? I'm starting to second guess myself on what I thought were mealy bugs. If you catch one it forceps, does it wriggle violently? Do mealy bugs jump? Can mealy bugs swim/sit on the surface of water. I'm also lacking in the telltale waxy honeydew.
After a few weeks of treating, I'm having trouble finding anything at all. I'll be doing some "plant work" tonight so maybe see some once I start disturbing the plants. Everyone looks pretty good though minus a few minor losses during treatment. All babies.
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Post by ng on Sept 10, 2014 12:48:56 GMT -5
Mealy bugs kind of just turn to a sticky white dust, like a silverfish. If it is mealy bug they will also leave a very sticky clear secretion as waste. They are pretty tough to mistake for anything else, possible to take a picture?
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Post by StickyIcky on Sept 11, 2014 5:38:11 GMT -5
I'd live to take a picture, though the little suckers are only like 1 mm tops, but I was unable to find a single one during tonight's feeding/grooming. I may have blasted whatever the hell they were into oblivion. I'm more inclined to think that they were springtails. Man was there alot of them though at one point. Now, none to be seen so far...
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