Root mealy bug

[Eric Williams]

Hi all, is it safe to use meths on Haworthia roots to kill root mealy bug ? Thanks

[Rich45s]

I’d be interested in knowing about this too.

I use rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle on mealy bugs on my actual succulents but not sure what to do about the roots. Do you have to de-pot plants to get them or is ‘watering’ with something like meths or rubbing alcohol sufficient.

Sorry for sort of hijacking the thread!

[Tony R]

When I have had root mealy bug on tuberous/chunky gasteria roots in the past, I have just used a relatively high pressure hosepipe spray to blast the bugs and soil off the roots (in a 'safe' area away from the greenhouse and plants obviously). Let them dry for a day or two and pot up again.

[Eric Williams]

Nice one Tony, I have done this in the past too and seems effective. Hi Rich' I found the bugs when re potting, not the end of the world, but needs sorting. Cheers and thanks.

[ralphrmartin]

Hose off as Tony says, let the roots dry, dunk the roots in meths, wait 2 minutes, and rinse. Then pot up. The mealy bugs will be gone or dead. Hopefully the plant will survive.

Anyway, I have tried this in the past, and it seems to have worked. One or two plants at times have even had a bath in meths - roots, body and all, and it is pretty effective; meths is much safer (to me) than some "trained personnel only" insecticides. I'd not use it on waxy / farinose plants, however.