Is it my imagination or ..... ?

[el48tel]

Has anyone else had a real battle this year with mealie bug?
It seems like it's been a constant, almost daily war against them. You clear one area of the GH. You think they are under control. You look the following morning to find their complete army has set up camp on another shelf which was clear previously.

[edds]

Exactly the same for me Terry. I've even considered whether the strength of the SKB invigorator needs upping as it just doesn't seem to be doing the job even with regular repeated applications.

[Diane]

Absolutely! I usually find some on Astrophytum hybrids (heavily flecked ones), and was very upset to find they had spread into a tray alongside. I had some quite heavily infested Echinocereus, and even binned a couple that were probably beyond saving. I use Bug Clear Ultra spray on them (and now have the Smart spray too) as I don’t think SB Invigorator is very effective.

I’m sure this year’s weather has been a good breeding year for them, so extra vigilance is going to be needed from now on.

[JonNo]

Ooooh yes! It was said on here a few weeks ago that the proper way to administer SB is to apply it on two consecutive days, the first day to strip the waxy layer off the little blighters and the second day to smother them. So I did just that, then a fortnight later did the same again, and a fortnight after that too. And a week later there are newly hatched ones zipping about... I mix my own spray from the concentrate, and have doubled the strength, but it doesn't seem to make any difference. I applied Bug Clear Ultra yesterday and am back on level one vigilance...

[Chris L]

I've not looked...... (safest way). It is the time of year for them to come out in force.

I am going to have to have a look in the next day or so - trouble is getting stuff out of the GH (i.e on the floor) without it (or me) getting soaked in the rain.

Meths is the only way I fear.

[Herts Mike]

And it’s a yes from me.

Indeed, the meths has been in regular use.

[habanerocat]

As I posted here before, I was clear for many years but then had an outbreak in established plants well away from the door and my quarantine area. They must be able to lie dormant. I know the males can fly but.....

If they are on the plant then they're going to be down around the neck of it also. So you need to get them out of the pot to have a good look.

[Tina]

Glad its not just me I used to mark odd plants with a red label if I spotted a mealie now I may as well mark the odd plant that I don't see one on.
SBK does not have an insecticide in the ingredients does it ?.

[Ali Baba]

I’ve not had mealie in my collection for about 10 years but this year I have had an outbreak of root mealy thanks to a non succulent infested plant that I overwintered in the greenhouse. That’ll teach me to be more careful! Affected plants have been depotted and dipped in acetamiprid

[esp]

I have hopefully totally eradicated root and normal mealies. I rarely obtain plants other than from seed and try to be quite strict about preventative treatment and quarantining any acquisitions. Plants are normally kept in small groups in trays etc, rather than just placed on a a bench etc. so if there is a root mealy outbreak, it is hard for it to spread beyond its group. Fingers crossed..
Ali Baba's post is a good reminder not to get complacent.