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Mealybugs


Hello all,

I wistfully look back upon the days when mealybugs were unknown to me.
But as it is, I have persistent mealybugs on a big Hoya carnosa.  I know
this is a problem for many indoor gardeners, so I thought I'd solicit
advice from you.  I'm familiar with the following approaches:

a)  Insecticidal soap or a soap/oil/water mix;
b)  Systemic insecticide;
c)  Isopropyl alcohol, either dabbed on or sprayed.

I've tried these all, in some cases reapplying once a few days after the
first treatment.. In every case, the bugs appear gone for a week or
two, and then begin to reappear.  The plant is far away from my other
plants, so I don't think it's a case of the bugs being re-introduced to
the plant.  I can't seem to find out much about the life-cycle of
mealybugs, but it seems to me they must have a developmental stage in
which they're more or less invisible.  Do I just need to reapply one of
the above treatments more relentlessly, and more often, perhaps several
times even when the bugs seem gone?  Or is the idea of being entirely and
permanently free of mealybugs just a foolish dream?

Thanks,
David


David McDonald
dxm@santafe.edu
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