How to Get Rid of Mealybugs in Houseplants | Mealybugs Treatment
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Mealybugs Identification
Mealybugs are white, soft-bodied, cottony-looking, sap-sucking insects. Large clusters can occur on stems and under the leaves of many houseplants.
A serious attack by Mealybugs can lead to wilting, yellowing and leaf drop in the plant.
Mealybugs also excrete large amounts of honeydew which attracts ants and is a fertile ground for black sooty mold.
Mealybugs Treatment
1.Remove heavily infested parts of the plant and destroy to prevent further spread.
2.Take the affected houseplant outside or to a sink and wash them off with a high pressure stream of water.
If the houseplant has delicate foliage, turn the plant upside down and dip the foliage in a bucket of water to wash the pests off. Repeat as necessary. Read more on how to clean houseplants.
3.A light Mealybug infestation can be dealt with by wiping them off with cotton buds dabbed in a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part rubbing alcohol followed by thorough spraying of the plant with the solution. Repeat as necessary.
It can also be treated with an insecticidal soap or neem oil both of which are safe to use indoors.
4.A severe Mealybug infestation can be dealt with by weekly application of a systemic insecticide as per the manufacturer's recommendations.
