Ick! Are these mealy bugs?

I stored many brugs, ears and bananas over the winter in a dark room at work. Now that I've brought them home I'm noticing all these little white bugs. How do I get rid of them?

Probably, but maybe not. Can you get a photo that is in focus? There is a larval stage of a very small lady beetle that many mistake for a mealy bug. They actually eat mealy bugs and aphids.

Hi ceejay! The pic I posted was taken a couple years ago. When I noticed all the white on these plants today I thought they were the same. But now as I inspect my plants I don't think they are the same.

What is all over the plants is some kind of white...kinda scale looking. Puffy in places and just spots of white in other places. I don't have my camera right now as my son has borrowed it. But thinking back to last year, I do remember this stuff being all over my coleus at the end of the season. I didn't think much of it, as I let the coleus freeze. But I'm thinking now that I've stored this crud over the winter! Yuck!

Here's a photo of the larval stage of the Scymnus lady beetle, commonly referred to as a crypt, or mealy bug destroyer. They are eating aphids on this squash vine leaf. The ladybug adult in the photo is a different species.

hi Brinda,

hope this link help http://ohp.com/Pest_Solutions/mealybug_scale.php

There is a "puffy" looking scale - the puffy part is actually the egg sac of the female. Google "cottony cushion scale" images and you'll see what I mean. There are other soft scales that also have the puffy look to them. Mealy bugs often congregate and form a white mass too. Sure wish I could see a picture (a picture is worth a thousand words). Anyway, I hope this helps.

check this link too http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/588592/

If they are mealy bugs, then they are bad, right? To me, it looks like they have damaged the plants. Many places look to be dying where they have formed a mass of white.

Thanks for the link MaVie, it says 1/2 alcohol and 1/2 water. Do you think that will help?

I'll google cottony cushion scale.

This certainly looks like it. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html#MANAGEMENT

I'm off to read more.

Brinda... u want to get rid of them, or they will suck out all the energy of ur plant. far worst scenario is, they will invite ants into ur area.

spray away next few days till u see them gone, then spray at least once a week, alternating alcohol and H202 to prevent them from coming back.

good luck.

Thanks MaVie! I just came in from giving them a good dose of alcohol/water. I noticed when I would spray the large white fuzzies, that under the white was a deep red/brown. I'll continue spraying them. Thanks you all!

u're very welcome Brinda. glad to be able to assist.

the bugs will hate u for it but the plants will love u. LOL!

Good luck, Brinda! I think you will be pleased with the results with the alcohol. I bought a peace lily one year, and when I brought it home, I noticed mealy bugs in the crevices. I used that on cotton balls as a swab, and cleaned it up nicely. Just watch for any that may have escaped the first "shower". BAM

LOL....I will do that! Thanks!!!

Mealy bug

Hi Vickie, thank you for that pic. They do look alike, but maybe a tad bit different. I used alcohol on cottom swabs to get rid of mine. It seems I was told long ago that there is a good bug that resembles them. Do you know?

Brinda, CeeJay's pic earlier in this thread is the only good bug that resembles mealy bugs that I know of.
There's a good closeup pic of the good bug at this site.
http://whatsthatbug.com/lady.html
It is the 10th or 11th pic down :)

it could be a soft scale. there are lots of different kinds and they have that reddish brown body underneath. i use safer soap and i also use alcohol and water. normally the safer soap is more effective on soft scale.

Here's a great pic of Cottony Cushion scale

http://gardenbees.com/biological%20control/revolution.htm

and another mealy bug look-a-like good bug Hyperaspis binotata larva
http://www.ncera125.ent.msu.edu/GuideScalesPhotos.htm#2

Vickie, your link on the Cottony Cushion scale is exactly what I had. (But not what is pictured in the first photo here) And what an interesting write up too. Thanks so much and I'll surely be watching out for these boogers as I expect them to return!

That's great news Brinda :) I agree that it's a nice informative page :) Kinda felt sorry for the little critter when they described it on its back flopping its little legs around helplessly though ... hee :)

I didn't! LOL

Have you hugged your scale today? rofl!

Brinda,

So was it mealybugs that you had? I'm confident I have the same thing on a Gardenia potted in my home. Sure enough the ants showed up with their armies. I've read somewhere that ants treat mealy bugs as we do livestock, carrying the mealybugs to plants more suitable for mealybugs. Gardenias are favorites for mealybugs. Anywho, I keep my battle going with alcohol/h20 sprays, although I'm not sure what percentage of solution I should use. I noticed 50/50% was noted but that seems a bit extreme. Would that not damage a Gardenia? Maybe not. GETTING TO MY POINT......I have been told that mealybugs can't be destroyed just by spraying. I've read that they require some sort of systemic solution as they are found (at some level?) in the soil as well. My question to you all is this true? If so, what do you recommend? I did try one systemic insecticide recommended to me by a local garden store but this seemed to damage the plant as the health of the plant declined even more rapidly. I don't dare use it again.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jake

Hi Jake, I'm not sure why I never responded to this.....but the answer is that I believe that I have the cottony cushion scale. The pic that I first posted was a pic from a year ago and I just assumed these were the same things when I first found them this year.

I had to find this thread again to see what all was said. i did pretty good at controling these things and of course just when I thought I was safe....I WASN'T! I went out the other day to take some yellowing (lower) leaves off of a huge brugmansia and found that these stupid things have come back in great masses! Yikes! They have destroyed many coleus and impatiens that were under the cover of the brugs.

I'm tellin ya....this year has been one of the worst years that I've had with critters! If it isn't aphids....then it's mites (in greAT masses) or these nasty things! Arg!!!

I've been using Bayer 2 in 1 systemic for the mites....I need to read, maybe it will help with the cottony cushion scale! Hmmmmmm

Although it is recommended for soft scales, Imidacloprid does not control cottony cushion scale. As a matter of fact, they don't die, but any lady beetle that tries to eat them is killed. I've always managed the cottony cushion scale with handpicking and stomping....when I first see them. They are so big, they are easy to control....at that point.

CJ

I truely like the half alcohol half water solution. Scotch ok????

Isn't that a waste of good liquor? My DH won't let me use his beer on the slugs for the same reason....