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        White Fungus - Mealybug Infestation On Succulent

        by Elisabeth Gordon
        (Cheltenham. UK)

        I have a fleshy indoor pot plant which has developed a horrid white fluffy fungus on it which I can’t get rid of.

        It is spreading. It looks seems to have white fine threads on it.
        See photos
        I’ve tried spraying it and also cutting it back.
        Please can you help me.

        Answer:

        You don't have a fungal problem on your succulent. This is a mealybug infestation. These insects feed on your plant and create this white fluffy looking stuff on your plant. They can multiply quickly and they leave a sticky residue behind which will start to grow a black fungus.


        You can treat this with several different organic methods which should get rid of the mealybugs.


        1. Use insecticidal soap: You can buy this as a ready made up spray or you can make your own with vegetable oil, dish soap, and water. This will suffocate the bugs.
        Spray the whole plant and make sure you also wet the undersides of the leaves. Repeat the treatment after about 10 days to make sure you got all the mealybugs and their eggs.


        2. Neem Oil: mix some Neem oil with a few drops of dish soap and water. Again make sure to wet the whole plant. The Neem oil kills the mealybugs and interrupts their breeding cycle.


        3. Beneficial insects: lacewings or ladybug larvae feed on pests like mealybugs. They are a good follow up if you had a pest infestation particularly if you have a lot of plants. These pests often fin hiding places in cracks and crevices of the plants or pots. You think you got rid of them... but a few weeks later you will find more of them on your plants. Beneficial insects make sure that this does not happen. You can buy them online and release them around your plants. They will disappear once their job is done.


        You can give the plant a rinse with water after a few days to wash off the dead bugs and the sticky residue.
        To prevent further pests make sure that your plant is in a bright spot and gets fed and watered regularly. Avoid over-watering which will weaken the plant and makes it susceptible to pests like mealybugs.

        Comments for White Fungus - Mealybug Infestation On Succulent

        Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

        Click here to add your own comments

        Feb 28, 2020
        Rating
        starstarstarstarstar         		Hi! I have thin white fibers that look like very tiny cat hairs intermittently on succulents. It doesn’t appear to be mealy bugs, but I am not sure.
        by: Anonymous

        Can I share pictures to see if you can identify the issue? Is it possibly normal?
        Dec 14, 2019
        Rating
        starstarstar         		Diatomaceous Earth
        by: Angie

        How do I treat with diatomaceous earth? Dry or mix with water and spray? Not sure how to proceed using that method.
        Aug 16, 2019
        Rating
        starstarstarstarstar         		Mealy Bugs NEW
        by: Rhonda

        I have been fighting mealy bugs for over a year now and tried all of the treatments listed in this article. The treatment often killed my plants. I learned that diatomaceous earth also kills mealy bugs so I bought a bag and treated every plant I have. I have not seen a mealy bug since but I am sure to keep an eye out especially when I bring home a new plant. Try it. I hope you are as happy with the results as I am.
        Jun 02, 2019
        Rating
        starstarstarstarstar         		Leaves falling off NEW
        by: Anonymous

        I have this bug problem and my leaves are already falling off so maybe it has to do with the bug problem and/or overwatering and not the dish soap mix?
        May 04, 2019
        Rating
        starstarstarstarstar         		Now my plants are dying! NEW
        by: Anonymous

        I made the insecticidal mixture you suggested. Oil, dish soap and water. Within 24 hours most of the succulent sleeves are falling off! 4 plants!

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