Mealy bugs in winter

[Timd]

As a relative novice I would like some advice if possible. I am still finding mealy bugs in my collection. I have several hundred cacti and succulents in my collection and as such I keep my greenhouse heated so the temperature doesn't drop below 5 degrees. I spray with bug clear and the last watering I gave everything was in October. But I am still finding lots of the bugs even after checking everything . So they are new and not the dead ones. Would people recommend to continue spraying through the winter of wait for the first watering in spring. Thanks Tim

[habanerocat]

Take them out of their pots and spray them upside down.

Ok, this may sound a bit mad but bear with me. Because you have a recurring problem it means that they are probably hiding in the roots, under the pot rims and bottom, and at the neck of the plant. So take them out, have a good look, tread any obvious infections with methylated spirits or similar. Give them a good spraying upside down.

You can leave them out of their pots for a few weeks at this time of year. Re-inspect, re-threat, then pot them up in clean washed pots. I normally don't add any grit on top so that I can keep an eye on the neck of the plant for a few months.

Plenty of other solutions, but that's what I do......

[Chris L]

https://www.manchester.bcss.org.uk/imag ... ER1998.pdf

There is an article here ^ about mealy bugs. Rather old, but it explains the lifecycle very well.

Treatments invariably leave the eggs untouched and that is the main problem.

[Davey246]

What is Bugclear currently?
Various ad's for it state that it is systemic (which implies that it contains one or more neonic's), while a recent RHS document says that it is pyrethrum, which will not be systemic. Confusingly, the RHS document also suggests that Bugclear also contains acetamiprid, which is a non-neonic' systemic. Two formulations for Bugclear?

The problem with pyrethrums and mealies is two-fold. Mealies are difficult to wet, and hence transfer the insecticide to their cuticle, and pyrethrums are short-lived in the environment (depending on temperature, exposre to light etc. etc. etc.). In cool temperatures, mealies will slow down their reproduction so that the next generation will in all likelihood miss the previous application.

The RHS dosument suggests that cypermethrin is licenced for use as a horticultural insecticide and is one of, probably the, longest-lived synthetic pyrethroid in the environment - it is also very safe as it is liceneced for food contact (kitchen use, on worktops, etc.)

[Acid John]

I am currently giving this one a try, it is killing the adults after spraying twice at 2 week intervals.
Provanto Smart Bug Killer.

It has been mentioned before I think.

[el48tel]

Like Acid John, I've tried the new Provanto. Large variance in price across local suppliers. It tends to be about GBP1.00 dearer than the older version.
I use it as part of a regime. Diatomaceous Earth. Meths. Provanto. Washing with dish detergent.

[Acid John]

Tel re the price difference 'it is almost as if they have not worked out how much to rip us off for yet'

[Stuart]

I've not tried this as it seemed to be 'Provado lite' after the Provado brand had been bought and rebranded as a Provado lookalike. It looks like it might be worth a try, not sure about the '3 in 1 action'. If one is contact and two is systemic what is the third?
If it works, the cost in relation to the damage done by scale and mealies hardly matters.

Stuart

[Acid John]

Perhaps the 3rd is bumping the gardener off

[el48tel]

Tel re the price difference 'it is almost as if they have not worked out how much to rip us off for yet'

John
There's a few GCs I use within a 30 minute or 15 mile radius. They range from the family business through the got-a-few-locally to the nationals. The larger the business .... the larger the ripoff addition.
We don't yet have the ones owned by the Channel Islands investment group. I noticed their eye-watering prices when I was last visiting friends in Staffordshire/Cheshire in the summer. I shall be visiting my favourite GC this afternoon when I take my daughter to collect her car from the garage. Worth the diversion ... and they do have cactus and succulents at reasonable prices.