Have you noticed white, cotton-like patches on your plants?
If so, you may have a mealybug infestation.
Mealybugs can damage or destroy your household plants, so it’s critical to act fast.
Here at The Pest Dude, we’ve been helping customers learn to do their own pest control for more than 20 years.
We’ve compiled our top mealybug control tips into this blog.
Key Takeaways
- To get rid of mealybugs on your plants, use tactics like treating them on contact, applying neem oil spray, eliminating ants, promoting natural mealybug predators, applying insecticidal soap, and using systemic insecticides.
- Mealybugs cluster on the undersides of leaves and stems, making them tricky to spot at first.
- If you need additional assistance removing mealybugs, contact The Pest Dude to connect with a pest control professional in your area: (844) 532-0076
Before You Get Started
Set yourself up to use insecticides safely
- Always read and follow the label instructions on any insecticide product to ensure proper usage and safety.
- Wear protective clothing such as gloves and masks to avoid skin contact and inhalation of chemicals.
- Keep children and pets away from treated plants until the insecticide has dried completely.
- Store insecticides in a safe place, out of reach from children and animals, and away from food.
Determine if you’re dealing with a small or large infestation
- Inspect plant leaves and around the stems for white, cottony masses, which are indicative of mealybug infestation. If the masses are widespread across multiple plants, you’re likely dealing with a large infestation.
- Observe the overall health of your plants. Wilting or yellowing leaves, stunted growth, or sooty mold development can be signs of a severe mealybug problem, while a minor infestation might not show dramatic initial effects.
- Check for natural predators like ladybugs or parasitic wasps, which may suggest a moderate to large mealybug infestation.
Eliminating Small Mealybug Infestations
1. Treating Mealybugs on Contact
A straightforward approach for dealing with minor mealybug problems is manually killing them with an alcohol solution.
How To:
- Dip a cotton swab in 70% isopropyl alcohol.
- Gently but firmly dab it on the mealybugs – this will dissolve their protective coating and kill them.
Pros:
- Cost-effective
- Doesn’t require chemicals
Cons:
- Time-consuming
- Labor-intensive
Recommended Products:
Expert Tip: After treating visible mealybugs, gently rinse the plant with water to remove any remaining alcohol residue.
2. Neem Oil Spray
Neem oil is a natural pesticide derived from the seeds of the neem tree. It’s great for controlling various pests, including mealybugs.
How To:
- Mix neem oil with water according to the product instructions.
- Spray the solution directly onto the affected areas of your plants.
Pros:
- Environmentally friendly
- Safe for most plant
Cons:
- May require multiple applications to be fully effective
Recommended Products:
Expert Tip: Apply neem oil in the evening or early morning to prevent leaf burn from sunlight exposure.
Eliminating Large Mealybug Infestations
1. Eliminate Ants and Encourage Natural Predators
Ants guard and protect insects that make honeydew, so managing ant populations is an excellent way to control mealybug infestations.
How To:
- Place Tanglefoot sticky banding around the base of the plant and prune it so that no part of it touches any other plant or structure.
- This will keep ants out of your plant’s canopy.
- If the affected plant is outdoors, avoid spraying its canopy, since this keeps the plant safe from natural predators.
Pros:
- Targets both mealybugs and their protective ants
Cons:
- It may take time to see noticeable results
- Natural predators take a long time to get established
Recommended Products:
Expert Tip: Plants like dill, fennel, or yarrow in your garden will create an inviting environment for beneficial insects. These plants attract natural predators, enhancing your garden’s resilience to pests.
2. Insecticidal Soap
Insecticidal soaps kill pests by weakening their outer shell, causing them to dehydrate and die.
How To:
- Spray the insecticidal soap directly onto the mealybugs and the surrounding plant areas, ensuring complete coverage.
Pros:
- Safe for use near humans and pets
- Specifically targets soft-bodied insects
Cons:
- This solution may not work well in hard water
- Frequent applications might be necessary
Recommended Products:
Expert Tip: Rinse plants with water a few hours after application to remove soap residue and prevent potential leaf damage.
3. Systemic Insecticides
Systemic insecticides are absorbed by the plant and kill mealybugs from the inside out when they feed on treated plant tissues.
We only recommend using systemic products on non-edible plants.
How To:
- Apply spray over the top of mealybugs to destroy their waxy covering.
- Follow all product instructions carefully.
- Do not apply systemic insecticides or horticultural oils on hot days since they can burn foliage.
Pros:
- Long-lasting protection
- Effective against hidden mealybugs
Cons:
- Can be harmful to beneficial insects
Recommended Products:
Expert Tip: Choose systemic insecticides when other methods have not resolved the issue, and consider withholding treatment during flowering to protect pollinators.
How to Prevent Mealybugs
- Regularly inspect plants for early signs of infestation, such as white, cotton-like masses, and remove any visible mealybugs by hand or with a damp cloth.
- Prune dense foliage and space plants adequately to provide proper air circulation around plants and reduce the humidity mealybugs need to thrive.
- Maintain appropriate plant watering and feeding schedules to keep your garden healthy. Stressed plants are more susceptible to infestations.
- Isolate new plants and monitor them closely for any signs of mealybugs before introducing them to your garden or indoor plant collection.
- Feed all your plants with a complete organic fertilizer rather than soluble fertilizers like MiracleGrow since these can encourage mealybugs.
When to Call in a Professional
Sometimes, a mealybug infestation can become too severe to manage alone.
In these cases, calling a professional might be the best choice.
Generally, we recommend calling the pros when you’re seeing any of these signs:
- Large Infestations: The infestation covers extensive areas of plants and shows no signs of improving with regular treatment methods.
- Recurring Problems: If the same infestation recurs despite multiple attempts to eliminate mealybugs, professional intervention can help identify underlying issues.
- Infestations on Rare and Valuable Plants: Professional expertise ensures proper care and treatment without risking plant damage when dealing with rare or valuable plants.
- Safety Concerns: If there are concerns about safely using chemical insecticides, professionals have the knowledge and protective equipment needed.
How Pest Control Experts Get Rid of Mealybugs
Here’s the process a professional team will follow to get rid of persistent mealybug infestations:
1. Assessment
The professional will thoroughly inspect plants to assess the extent of the infestation and identify the species of mealybugs.
2. Treatment
Based on the assessment, they will create a tailored treatment plan, which might include a combination of cultural, mechanical, non-toxic, and chemical control methods.
Professionals may use advanced systemic or contact insecticides specially chosen for effectiveness against mealybugs while minimizing harm to non-target organisms.
3. Monitoring
After treatment, they will monitor the plants to ensure the solution’s effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.
4. Prevention and Follow-Up
To prevent future infestations, professionals may provide guidance on cultural practices and even schedule follow-up visits to ensure long-term protection against mealybugs.
You Don’t Have to Live With Mealybugs! Find a Pest Pro to Help Today
Mealybugs can pose a significant threat to all of your favorite plants.
Fortunately, you can get rid of them – you may just need a little professional help.
At The Pest Dude, we work with a nationwide network of skilled, reliable pest control professionals.
Call us at (844) 532-0076, and we’ll connect you with an expert in your area who can help you eliminate mealybug infestations and keep your plants healthy.
Get a Free Quote
Give us a call today to receive your free, no-obligation pest control quote.
DIY Pest Control FAQs
Mealybugs are tiny, sap-sucking insects related to aphids and whiteflies.
They are often white or off-white and covered with a mealy, wax-like coating that gives them their name.
Mealybugs can form colonies on plant stems, leaves, and roots, where they damage the plant by feeding on its sap.
This feeding behavior weakens plants, causing leaves to yellow and drop and stunting overall growth.
Additionally, mealybugs excrete a sticky substance known as honeydew, which encourages the growth of sooty mold, further impacting plant health.
If you have mealybugs, it’s because your plant is stressed.
Be sure your plant is living in ideal conditions.
If it’s a house plant, it needs adequate light, adequate but not too much water, and a minimal amount of fertilizer.
Mealybugs can also spread from nearby infested plants or enter new plants brought into your home or garden.
Yes, plants can recover from mealybug infestations if treated promptly and effectively.
Begin by isolating the affected plant to prevent the spread of mealybugs to healthy plants.
Prune heavily infested sections and dispose of any debris carefully.
Regularly clean the plant with a damp cloth or soft brush to remove visible mealybugs.
Increase air circulation around the plant and adjust watering practices to prevent overhydration.
Consider using insecticidal soap or neem oil as a non-toxic treatment option.
The time it takes to eliminate mealybugs depends on the severity of the infestation, the methods used, and the plants involved.
Mild infestations may be controlled within a few weeks through regular cleaning and natural treatments.
Severe infestations may require several months of sustained effort, including professional intervention, multiple treatment applications, and consistent monitoring to ensure that the mealybugs do not return.
