BCSS - Forum

MrRazzell wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:43 pm Hi All

Many thanks for the responses - greatly appreciated!

I spent a couple of hours inspecting the roots on each specimen and did not see anything akin to the photographs posted which is a huge relief.

And that method does seem logical and is something I have done before - if not the heat, surely completely submerging the plant for ten minutes in water (having washed off the soil etc) would kill the pest just through a lack of oxygen? A cumbersome method perhaps.

I did find a stray mealybug on a jade a while back, and just washed the plant (with a shower head) and washed away all soil, and sumberged the jade completely under water for ten minutes or so, and have not had a bug since, and the plant seems perfectly healthy. Probably a bit gun-ho?

Interesting anyway; in my research it seems there is no one size fits all approach to pests, and everyone seems to adopt their own particular nuance and approach.

Thanks

habanerocat wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:47 pm

MrRazzell wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:43 pm Hi All

Many thanks for the responses - greatly appreciated!

I spent a couple of hours inspecting the roots on each specimen and did not see anything akin to the photographs posted which is a huge relief.

And that method does seem logical and is something I have done before - if not the heat, surely completely submerging the plant for ten minutes in water (having washed off the soil etc) would kill the pest just through a lack of oxygen? A cumbersome method perhaps.

I did find a stray mealybug on a jade a while back, and just washed the plant (with a shower head) and washed away all soil, and sumberged the jade completely under water for ten minutes or so, and have not had a bug since, and the plant seems perfectly healthy. Probably a bit gun-ho?

Interesting anyway; in my research it seems there is no one size fits all approach to pests, and everyone seems to adopt their own particular nuance and approach.

Thanks

I wouldn't hold out much hope of drowning mealybugs. Lots of insects can survive hours, even days underwater. Spraying with soapy water is certainly effective though.

Cactusgirl wrote: ↑Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:16 am What temperature do root mealy bugs die out (if they do) and the upper plant mealy bugs?

Cactusgirl wrote: ↑Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:16 am What temperature do root mealy bugs die out (if they do) and the upper plant mealy bugs?

MikeT wrote: ↑Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:23 pm...There was an article years ago, I think in the journal (possibly the old GB or National societies pre-BCSS) which described placing cacti in hot water for a specific time, which killed mealies. ...