Re: CULT: fuzzy grey bugs

Hi Laurie!

My first guess would be that they are foliar mealy bugs which are covered
with a white to grayish cottony substance.  If they are, then Safer
Insecticidal Soap will do them in, but you'll need to spray every week for
three weeks to get any new hatchlings.  Here's a link with some information
of the little snots:

http://ipmofalaska.homestead.com/files/mealybugs.html

Janet in Denmark WI


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "laurief" <laurief@paulbunyan.net>
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 10:50 AM
Subject: [iris] CULT: fuzzy grey bugs


> Hi Everybody,
>
> This will no doubt demonstrate my lack of experience growing plants under
> lights, but I could use some help with an insect pest.  One of our
> wonderful list members sent me some leftover rhizomes just a few weeks
> past, and of course my only option was to pot them and attempt to
> overwinter them under lights in my basement.  They're doing beautifully
> so far ... except ... just now when I checked on them, I noticed a couple
> are suddenly covered with what look like tiny pieces of fuzzy, blue-grey
> lint.  I brushed the "lint" off one of the leaves just to realize they
> are actually tiny, fuzzy bugs!  What the heck are these things, and how
> do I get rid of them?  Interestingly, just yesterday I noticed several
> ladybugs (Asian beetles?) hanging out on the iris leaves and figured I
> could rely on them to eliminate any aphids that may hatch on the irises
> over winter.  Today the ladybugs are nowhere to be seen, but the fuzzy
> greys are coating several of the leaves.  Could these be ladybug larvae?
> If they are something I should be trying to get rid of, would soapy water
> be likely to do the trick?  I have far too many companion animals in the
> house to risk using any sort of toxic chemical pesticides.
>
> Any insights or suggestions will be gratefully received.
>
> Happy New Year, Everybody!
>
> Laurie
>
>
> -----------------
> laurief@paulbunyan.net
> http://www.geocities.com/lfandjg/
> http://www.angelfire.com/mn3/shadowood/irisintro.html
> USDA zone 3b, AHS zone 4 - northern MN
> acidic clay soil
>
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