Death to Mealy Bugs

[Davey246]

Most pesticides these days also have limits on how many times they can be applied in a growing season - e.g. 3 or 4, which also makes using sufficient repeat applications to ensure all bugs are killed off pretty tricky.

I have never noticed any instructions stating such, and if I had, on purely ornamentals, I'd ignore it anyway given that it makes no sense.

[FredG]

I've yet to find one that is resistant to a mallet

[habanerocat]

Dormancy in the bugs certainly seems to be a problem.

Plants I got in ELK last September and which were initially treated several times and were clear, have just shown signs of a few bugs present. These plants were well isolated so it looks like isolation has to be well over a year at this stage.

I'm working hard to get back to a zero bug state, but it's a hard state to get to these days.

[TomInTucson]

Dormancy in the bugs certainly seems to be a problem.

Plants I got in ELK last September and which were initially treated several times and were clear, have just shown signs of a few bugs present. These plants were well isolated so it looks like isolation has to be well over a year at this stage.

I'm working hard to get back to a zero bug state, but it's a hard state to get to these days.

[Nick]

Could be Sunday morning myopia, but I couldn’t see any reference to flupyradifurone on the bottle label or the MSDS. The only things mentioned are the two isothiazolinones, the chloro derivative of which is a common biocide.

[Tony R]

Could be Sunday morning myopia, but I couldn’t see any reference to flupyradifurone on the bottle label or the MSDS. The only things mentioned are the two isothiazolinones, the chloro derivative of which is a common biocide.

From the back label above, Nick. Cheers, Tony

[Nick]

Thanks Tony glad you are awake - donkey ears for me

[habanerocat]

I've a theory that 'flood tables' facilitate the quicker spread of bugs.
I've no proof as such, just personal experience.

It would explain why nursery grown plants are so badly infested.

[Cidermanrolls]

The prolonged dormancy theory fits with my experience.
I have been having good results with a systemic and now rarely spot mealies. Those I do find are almost always on plants closest to the greenhouse doors, which are open all summer.
I returned from holiday this week to find several Echinopsis in bloom and two had big fat mealies on the flower stems and only on the stems, nowhere else. These were the only mealies I found anywhere in the collection when I looked yesterday. I suspect the eggs had lain dormant in the forming hairy buds which had probably been on the plant for months, maybe even since last year. I guess the systemic does not get into dormant buds.

[Elizabeth]

In my experience, mealies seem very fond of hairy Echinopsis buds. I keep a very careful eye on them.