Is it my imagination or ..... ?

[Herts Mike]

You’re confusing Looby Lou with Little Weed which was Bill and Ben...

[Rich66]

Hi
It’s been terrible for me this year and you always seem to find these pests on your favourite plants which is really annoying. I must agree that the SB plant invigorator doesn’t seem to attack them to much so I tried using methylated spirits instead and it done a brilliant job. I apply meths and then spray the plant with water to wash the spirits off. Unfortunately my copiapoa cinerea had root mealy bug and it took a long time to sort it out. Hopefully it better next year

[RAYWOODBRIDGE]

Diane, I agree about the Astro hybrids I cannot tell which is plant and which is mealy
But on a more serious note, the BCSS Zoom lecture by the young German gentleman who's name escapes me, was very good on this subject.
He had been studying this problem in his profession for many years and the short of it was, to take a three prong approach to mealy and mite problems in cacti collections .
Firstly a clean greenhouse or plant area is essential and must be cleaned on a regular basis, both on and under the bench cleaning all areas with a mild bleach solution, and not storing anything they can live on like used pots etc near your plants.
Secondly be proactive, we all know which plants in our collection mealy will go for so check these often and spray before you see them. In my case it is the Reichenbachii section of Echinocereus and the Platyopuntias that attract them, while Pterocactus, Cumulopuntia and Tephrocactus never get any ( interesting )
Thirdly be reactive in a very quick and positive way if you do find any on a plant or group of plants, take these plants away from your collection and clean them up and do not return them till you are certain they are clear, in my case they go straight to the potting shed treated with meths applied with a small artist brush and then washed, this works well with the Bug Clear Ultra used in the proactive stage.
It is true mealy will not attach your plants outside, I have several large Opuntias which are outside most of the year and I have never seen mealy on them,( temperature or predators ? ) but they are the very species which would be covered in them in an arid house.
Remember we are trying to create that arid house environment for our plants which is the very place mealy want, so it is always going to be an ongoing problem we face.

[Pattock]

Diane, I agree about the Astro hybrids I cannot tell which is plant and which is mealy

Bob Flowerdew suggested a UV torch could help you spot mealybugs at night. I don't know if Astrophytum floss also glows.

[Herts Mike]

Stapeliads are an absolute magnet and I check every plant back and front once a week. I have yet to have a mealy free week,

[Pattock]

I haven't seen male attractant pheromone lures advertised before, I had assumed the females were at least partly parthenogenetic like aphids:

https://www.greengardener.co.uk/product ... mone-lure/

[ralphrmartin]

You're right Mike...

[el48tel]

I'm so glad I asked the question. I had thought that it was my technique at fault. It was good to see so many practical and well thought out solutions (amongst the other outright bizarre impractical ones).
It will be interesting to see if the infestation diminishes as the onslaught of winter arrives.
Perhaps the site administrator and moderators might consider a separate forum area for issues such as bugs and beasts which trouble our hobby.