Control of root mealybugs is accomplished with soil drenches with an insecticide. When pesticides are applied to the soil, care must be taken to assure that the pots have good drainage and that no saucers are attached, or phytotoxicity may result. Symptoms - Mites are very small and go unnoticed until plants become severely damaged. Broad mites cause distortion and necrosis of the vegetative shoot apex. Broad mite eggs are covered with many tubercles which give them the appearance of being jeweled.
Eggs are bright red and oval-shaped and are laid on both surfaces of leaves.
Initial infestations are indicated by faint brown, scruffy flecks, later becoming bronze or reddish in color. Basal leaf areas are affected, vegetative shoot apexes may be killed, and severe leaf drop may occur. The best control program is to minimize the possibility of introducing mites into the growing area on infested plant material. Scales Symptoms - Infested plants become weakened or stunted and begin to die. Scales can be found feeding on leaves, petioles, or stems.