Death to Mealy Bugs! Horticultural oil vs alcohol vs py+sticker test

[Daintree]

So, I tend to get periodic outbreaks of mealy bugs in my greenhouse, and it seems like they bounce back pretty quick after treatment.  This made me wonder, are these NEW bugs, or are they old bugs that have "recovered"?

So I set up an experiment - 4 mealy bugs in 4 little plastic containers.  Each one got a "dose" of a drop of one of four things applied directly to their squishy little bodies- "all season" horticultural oil, alcohol, pyrethrin+sticker, and just because I had some handy, Physan.
I killed the first few by accidentally squashing them, until I started giving them their "dose" while observing through my USB microscope.

The verdict - NOTHING killed them in the first three days.  By day four, only the horticultural oil recipient was dead.  The alcohol bug is very revved up, doing laps in his little container.  Following closely in energy is the Physan bug.  The py+sticker dude is moving weakly, occasionally falling onto his back and waving his little legs, then righting himself again.

They all appeared to lose their waxy coating at first, but once dry, they all gained it back again.
By the time he died, the "Hort Oil Bug" was only about 50% covered with his wax.

Makes me go Hmmm...



Mr. Alcoholic Mealy Bug

[brian]

These have been very persistent for me also.  Systemic and foliar imidacloprid doesn't work.  Soap and hort oil works but they just come back.  I am going to try putting tanglefoot on all the tree trunks and spraying them repeatedly with hose blasts.

I'm curious if they are repopulating from hidden spots on the tree, or if they are crawling up from the ground.

[Oncorhynchus]

So, I tend to get periodic outbreaks of mealy bugs in my greenhouse, and it seems like they bounce back pretty quick after treatment.  This made me wonder, are these NEW bugs, or are they old bugs that have "recovered"?

So I set up an experiment - 4 mealy bugs in 4 little plastic containers.  Each one got a "dose" of a drop of one of four things applied directly to their squishy little bodies- "all season" horticultural oil, alcohol, pyrethrin+sticker, and just because I had some handy, Physan.
I killed the first few by accidentally squashing them, until I started giving them their "dose" while observing through my USB microscope.

The verdict - NOTHING killed them in the first three days.  By day four, only the horticultural oil recipient was dead.  The alcohol bug is very revved up, doing laps in his little container.  Following closely in energy is the Physan bug.  The py+sticker dude is moving weakly, occasionally falling onto his back and waving his little legs, then righting himself again.

They all appeared to lose their waxy coating at first, but once dry, they all gained it back again.
By the time he died, the "Hort Oil Bug" was only about 50% covered with his wax.

Makes me go Hmmm...



Mr. Alcoholic Mealy Bug

Maybe mixing some soap in with your spray would help get past the waxy coating (except for the oil)? Detergent is supposed to be synergistic with some disinfectants against certain bacteria with waxy outer layers for the same reason. Or you could just stick to oil lol.

[palmcity]

Death to Mealy Bugs!

You may not have seen this older video recommendation:::
10 minutes into this video of Richard Campbell shows the tanglefoot around the base of his mango trees. He says it is to keep mealy bugs and scales off the plants...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCrZC_5slU&t=616s

[ScottR]

Nice little experiment Carolyn, I have same problem in my G,H. I spray now and then with Hort. oil but always come back.
If it wern't for mealbugs,ants, gophers etc. etc. we could have a pleasant day taken care of our plants!