# Mealy bug infestation.



## Guest (Oct 17, 2004)

I've had what I thought was mold growing on several of my houseplants, turns out they are bugs. Anyone know if the frogs will eat them? I *think* I've seen one inside a tank, didn't realize what it was until I noticed them on my houseplants and looked it up. I've not had any problems with the plants in the vivariums. 

So does anyone know if the frogs will eat them or not? If not, does anyone know how to get rid of them? 

thanks,
-Tad


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## AJ_Cann (Oct 6, 2004)

I very much doubt the frogs will eat them as they are well protected and don't move much. You can treat them by carefully applying a drop of alcohol to each one with a cotton bud.


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2004)

Thats what I was thinking, thanks for the info.

-Tad


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

*mealy bugs?*

Hi Tad,
What does your mealy bug look like? Is it a type of "Pill Bug", or is it like wood lice? Isopods basically? Let me know I am curious.
Dave


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2004)

THey look like tiny horse shoe crabs covered in fluff....


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

*Fluff?*

Fluff huh? I wonder of it is a scale insect?
Dave


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2004)

Oh god, I have those too Tad on one of my Pathos that I use for cuttings in terrariums. They are a pain in the A$$ to get rid of :evil: (although I've never tried the rubbing alcohol trick). No the frogs won't eat them because they don't ever move hardly at all but keep what ever plant has them isolated away from any other plant because they spread (how I don't know because you don't seem them move) and the eventually kill the plant. I've spent hours washing this plant trying to remove them and am about ready to just TORCH it. Just a word of caution!! It's in the soil, you have to repot the whole plant. I've just been too lazy to do it yet because it's too big. I just wash the cuttings I use really good.


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## bbrock (May 20, 2004)

*Re: Fluff?*



ED's_Fly_Meat_Inc said:


> Fluff huh? I wonder of it is a scale insect?
> Dave


Don't know if they are related but they are kinda similar. They look more cottony than this to the naked eye but here's a link.

http://www.upenn.edu/paflora/plantclinic/mealybugs.htm


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

*yes*

Yep, a scale. Bummer.


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## AJ_Cann (Oct 6, 2004)

Washing the plant won't do much good because the protective coating is waxy (=waterproof! smart bugs!), that's why the alcohol works. Break out the cotton buds and get swabbing!


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

*Or*

I have never had a scale problem in my plants, but try the alcohol method. If they are on a really valuable plant, you may want to invest in some predatory mites. Look into beneficial insect companies. But then again, your frogs may eat the predatory mites. DOH!


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2004)

I don't think the mealy bugs thrive very well in humid vivarium conditions (despite the waxy coating) either that or the frogs eat them. I've seen *one* crawling in a tank, I had no idea what it was till much later when I found them on my house plants. I think I would have notice a problem in the vivarium if they could survive their.


-Tad


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

*Hmmmmmmmm*

Well if they crawl, then I am wrong. Scales are not good crawlers, but they do crawl. Then again the point is moot. Kill the little buggers.
Dave


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2004)

they crawl *slowly* and reproduce slowly (or so I read) so in theory they aren't to hard to get rid of, even though you need to kill them one at a time.


-Tad


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## benmz (Feb 18, 2004)

They can suck your plants to death. I've lost an orchid to the suckers.

The alcohol may work. You could also remove the plant from the viv and get a spray from your local nursery. Now before everyone gets ballistic about the chemicals. There are a couple that are fairly safe and after the infestation and a good rinse you should be fine in putting the plant back in.

The 2 chemicals I'm talking about is Horticultural Oil which is a highly refined oil that will coat the bugs and essentially suffocate them. The other chemical is insecticidal soap which is a soap that washes away their waxy coating and they dry to death. Neither of these chemicals are absorbed into the plant or linger very long on the plant.

-Ben


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## AJ_Cann (Oct 6, 2004)

These chemicals are relatively ineffective against mealybugs (compared with aphids for example), because of the waxy coating.


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2004)

I know Neem oil works on them. That's how I got rid of the last infestation I had on a plant. I don't know if I have anymore and if I do,it's got to be 7+ years old now. So much for cleaning old chemicals out of under your kitchen sink :?


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## AJ_Cann (Oct 6, 2004)

That'd do it, but I wouldn't put neem oil in with frogs.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2004)

AJ_Cann said:


> That'd do it, but I wouldn't put neem oil in with frogs.


OH NO, Neither would I. :shock: I should have clarified my statement . You should ONLY use Neem oil on house plants OUTSIDE the terrariums, not in them. And wait several weeks & wash them off really good after they've been treated with Neem oil if they are going to go into a terrarium.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2004)

I just used rubbing alcohol and paper towels and some heavy handed pruning, hopefully it works, these plants wont be going into a terarrium ever (much to big) they are some sort of palm (I think) they have axils similiar to a brom coming off a trunk (which has obviously ben cut/sealed in some maner to limit the height). There were so many bugs down in the 'axils' that I resorted to actually pouring some rubbing alcohol down them, hopefully it gets rid of the problem w/o damaging the plants too much.

-Tad


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