In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

For the discussion of topics related to the conservation, cultivation, propagation and exhibition of cacti & other succulents.
Forum rules
For the discussion of topics related to the conservation, cultivation, propagation, exhibition & science of cacti & other succulents only.

Please respect all forum members opinions and if you can't make a civil reply, don't reply!

In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Aphids
16
2%
Fungus/Rot/Damping off
136
14%
Mealy bugs
241
26%
Mice
13
1%
Red spider mite
187
20%
Root mealy bugs
171
18%
Scale insects
41
4%
Sciarid fly
52
6%
Snails
50
5%
Western flower thrip
35
4%
 
Total votes: 942
User avatar
iann
BCSS Member
Posts: 14561
https://www.behance.net/kuchnie-warszawa
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Branch: MACCLESFIELD & EAST CHESHIRE
Country: UK
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by iann »

Bug Clear Ultra contains Acetamiprid, a neonicotinoid similar to what used to be in Provado before Bayer decided to rip us all off. It is the only systemic insecticide easily available in the UK now. It lists mealies on the label and should be effective, but the year I used it was the year I got root mealies. Probably a coincidence but hasn't made me a fan. It also lists spider mites on the label but control isn't great on either those or the false variety.

Deltamethrin is usually considered effective against mealybug, although obviously not much use against root mealies. Probably not much better than a soap or alcohol spray though.
Cheshire, UK
User avatar
Debbie
Registered Guest
Posts: 91
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Branch: CORNWALL
Country: ENGLAND
Role within the BCSS: Member
Location: Cornwall

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by Debbie »

At the moment there is only one nuisance and that is that little pinky/ red oxalis , which just pops up everywhere .
I just can not get rid of this ! How to stop it ? Anyone ? Debbie :???:
User avatar
Aiko
BCSS Member
Posts: 3861
Joined: 12 Aug 2010
Branch: None
Country: Netherlands
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by Aiko »

Avoid it from flowering. Cut off the stems with scissors. If you prevent it from flowering and shooting off the seeds, you will get rid of the plant eventually. Trimming the Oxalis is easier than to pull out the entire plant, especially if you have ferocious cacti where it likes to get in between the spines at the bottom.
Herts Mike
BCSS Member
Posts: 4303
Joined: 20 Sep 2007
Branch: LEA VALLEY
Country: Uk

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by Herts Mike »

A snail got to my Senecio deflersii which was on the top shelf!

Image
User avatar
Tina
BCSS Member
Posts: 7015
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Branch: NORTHAMPTON & MILTON KEYNES
Country: England
Role within the BCSS: Member
Location: BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by Tina »

Senecio deflersii
I had that too, moved it to a different sunnier position then it got sun burn (td)
Tina

varied collection of succulents and cacti but I especially like Euphorbia's, Ariocarpus and variegated agaves.

Bucks, UK
Branch co-ordinator, Northants & MK BCSS https://northants.bcss.org.uk
BCSS Talk team member, contact me- BCSS.Talk@Gmail.com if you want to volunteer or suggest a speaker plz.
User avatar
Mike P
BCSS Member
Posts: 2792
Joined: 26 Nov 2007
Branch: BROMLEY
Country: UK
Role within the BCSS: Branch Secretary
Location: Forest Hill

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by Mike P »

Having just finished a sweep through picking out the last few pieces of broken glass I can confidentially say the Fox falling through the greenhouse roof earlier in the year has damaged / destroyed more of my plants than insects ever have......still really cross it happened to land squarely on the Adromischus collection! I can advise they are not very resilient to falling foxes.
Mike
Secretary Bromley Branch
User avatar
claytablet
BCSS Member
Posts: 18
Joined: 17 Sep 2016
Branch: None
Country: Germany
Role within the BCSS: Member
Location: The Big B, Germany
Contact:

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by claytablet »

Aphid larvae.
I HATE them!
You can seen them squirming around inside the body of the cactus they are currently sucking dry like some kind of parasitic Alien :evil: :evil:

correction: that should be Sciarid fly larvae, those evil little things.
David48
BCSS Member
Posts: 25
Joined: 31 Jul 2016
Branch: GLOUCESTER
Country: UK

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by David48 »

1) Red spider mite arrived for the first time in my life this summer. I used to think all creatures had a place in this world, and we just respected that and worked around them. Right now if all RSM were to be exterminated from this world I would be happy. Not sure what good they do, I suppose they are food for some things up the food chain, but they killed a few of my plants and badly disfigured others and I did not see it until it was far too late.
2) After that root mealy bug, I found some plants with them when investigating why they were not growing.
I've not had yet other pests some have referred to.
3) Mealy bug has been relatively easy to deal with, picking off the occasional ones I have seen, except when bringing in a new clustered plant which is infested out of sight between the offshoots.
User avatar
daniel82
BCSS Member
Posts: 275
Joined: 29 Sep 2014
Branch: CAMBRIDGE
Country: England
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by daniel82 »

I personally find root mealies far worse than normal mealies, as you just don't know they are there and routine tipping out of pots to check is far from ideal. they are the only pest I have any kind of struggle with. After a years worth of real effort in eradicating them from my collection I haven't seen a mealy for a couple of years, and being careful with new plants means I've stayed on top of it, (fingers crossed).
Herts Mike
BCSS Member
Posts: 4303
Joined: 20 Sep 2007
Branch: LEA VALLEY
Country: Uk

Re: In your opinion, which are the 3 worst pests in succulents?

Post by Herts Mike »

I have decided ants are now my biggest concern since I moved house both inside the greenhouse and outside in the garden.

I have a lovely Cercis Canadensis "forest pansy" but this spring I found half of it didn't come into growth. When I looked closer I found that most of the underside of branches were smothered in scale insects tended by ants and the tree had simply cut off supplies to these branches. Last weekend I had to throw away a bay tree for the same reason.

Last evening I was checking the greenhouse as normal and noticed a small pile of soil around a pot of Aloe imalotensis. Being suspicious I took it out of the pot and found an ant farm inside tending a herd of root mealy bugs! I dealt with that and then started to check other pots in the vicinity and found small infestations in each pot. I shall carry on depotting until I get to a clear area.
Post Reply