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Mealy Bugs
These are tiny slow moving insects about 4mm long. They form very large colonies with older insects covered in a dense grey waxy water repellent material giving the plant affected the characteristic whitish cottony blobs. Mealy bugs only like warm moist conditions and in this region will only be a problem under sheltered eaves and indoors. They multiply quickly and soon disfigure and stunt their hosts by sucking sap from the stems and leaves. Leaves become sticky with sooty mould as well. Some Mealy bugs live on plant roots and are obvious as a sticky white mass. Buying infected plants is the way root mealies are spread so keep a look out for them when planting new plants.
Plants attacked include palms, ferns, cacti, succulents and indoor plants.
Control - Chemical
Spray with Orthene and Conqueror Oil.
For infestations on ferns - cut all fronds back to the ground and spray ground with Confidor. Keep a check on new fern fronds and spray with Confidor. Never spray ferns with oil.
Control - Organic
Control ants as they move the Mealy bugs to different places to farm them for honeydew.
For low infestations touch each bug with a brush dipped into 50/50 methylated spirits and water mix.
Encourage predators by not using a broad spectrum insecticide.
Spray with Neem 50wp and raingard.
For Root Mealies - add Neem granules to the soil.
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