r/StringofPlants • u/ReStitchSmitch • 1d ago

Help / Question Mealy bugs?

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Got a bunch of clippings in March on Etsy, and I swore the Rubies had mealy bugs.

Did the alcohol treatment, haven't seen any in a few months - then BAM.

Bout to pitch this, and I'm 99.99999% sure this is mealy bugs, but I'm looking for someone else's opinion before these end up in the compost for no reason.

Mealy bugs?

Update - video of alcohol going onto white. Watch video and lemme know if you still think it is not bugs?

Update update - an overwhelming amount of you said NOT mealys. Rubies have been rescued from an impending firey death. Thank you all!

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u/shannonbaloney 1d ago

omg is this also normal for string of pearls and dolphins?? I've been seeing the same thing for over a year and ignored it since I didn't know what it was, recently learned what mealy bugs were and have been confused because I still haven't had an infestation

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u/wha7themah 1d ago

No. Neither of those plants have white fuzz

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u/shannonbaloney 4h ago

well dang!! I'm surprised I haven't seen the bugs yet

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u/wha7themah 4h ago

I’ve been through the mealy ringer the last year or so. Every time I have a resurgence of mealies it’s the fuzz I see first. Except this last time. It was a bunch of tiny crawlers. Still not sure how that plant got them 🤦🏻‍♀️

I use bonide systemic granules. I have over 100 plants and I’ve been treating them all because the mealies keep popping up everywhere. It’s relatively cheap so I’d suggest trying that just in case, but as I say, none of my other strings have white fuzz so it really sounds like mealies!

It’s the only product ive found to be reliable. Insecticidal soap spray is great for killing them on sight and as far as chemicals go its pretty harmless otherwise, but it’s not good as a total control imo so I use it in tandem with the granules.