C. Quarantine new plants and treat before placing them among established plants. D. Discard heavily infested plants. Mealybugs Mealybugs are slow-moving insects that are covered with a white, waxy substance. Intense feeding activity results in loss of color, wilting and death of the affected plant part. Mealybugs also produce large amounts of honeydew that coats the foliage and serves as a substrate for black sooty molds.
Mealybugs occur on several species of garden, house and greenhouse plants.
They usually are found in clusters along the veins on the undersides of leaves and in crevices at the base of leaf stems. This strategy is not adequate when mealybugs are present in large numbers. B. Use an insecticidal soap. C. Apply a 2 percent solution of horticultural oil. D. Use a botanical insecticide of pyrethrins and rotenone.