Identification
Insects covered in a white, cottony, waxy coating, gathering in leaf axils, at the base of shoots and on the underside of leaf blades. They look like tufts of cotton wool. They suck sap, weaken the plant and excrete sticky honeydew, on which black sooty mould develops. A common pest of houseplants and succulents.
Treatment
Spot removal with a stick dipped in alcohol (spirit), washing with potassium soap, and oil-based or systemic preparations in the case of heavy infestation. New plants are best kept in quarantine — mealybugs spread easily from plant to plant.
Sources
- Atlas of ornamental-plant pests
