A type of ladybug known as the mealybug destroyer also might be used against the insects. Insecticides won't work well because mealybugs protect themselves from the chemicals by producing waxy, cottony egg sacs and by burying themselves underground or inside hibiscus buds. There could be a quarantine that would stop shipments of Florida plants to other states, which is the main market for them. Hoy and Ru Nguyen of the Division of Plant Industry recently visited a U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, that raised wasps used to beat back the insects in the Caribbean. It is very important to get an early start so we can get the mealybugs under control before they spread.
More information is available on two Web sites.
Bug Club sponsored by UF's Cooperative Extension Service. If you find insects that you suspect are pink hibiscus mealybugs, cut off the plant stem on which you find them and put the stem in a sealed jar or sealed plastic bag with rubbing alcohol. Use a sturdy package and attach a note stating your name, where you found the insects and when you collected them. Send your package to Avas Hamon, Division of Plant Industry, P.O. Box 147100, Gainesville, FL 32614-7100. Return To Top Of Archived Releases.