White clumpy growth on papaya tree. What to do?

[Orly]

I just noticed lots of white cottage cheese looking growth clumping under the leaves as well as some on the stems of my papaya trees.  Not sure if it's an aphid of some type or fungus.  How should I treat this?

I sprayed the trees with some Bug-B-Gone since I was already spraying my banana plants for caterpillars.  I gotta say, my garden really has a knack for attracting pests.

[dwfl]

I've seen same on my papaya leaves. Never affected the plant/fruit negatively as far as I could tell...

Could be?

https://palmbeachcountyextension.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/a-beneficial-insect-to-papaya/

[bsbullie]

Looks like mealybugs

[Chupa King]

Mealy bugs. I just wipe them off with my fingers. Or if its really bad take a hose and spray them off.

[Orly]

I've seen same on my papaya leaves. Never affected the plant/fruit negatively as far as I could tell...

Could be?

https://palmbeachcountyextension.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/a-beneficial-insect-to-papaya/

I don't think I have cocoons of that size.  Probably mealybugs like others have said.

[Orly]

I've seen same on my papaya leaves. Never affected the plant/fruit negatively as far as I could tell...

Could be?

https://palmbeachcountyextension.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/a-beneficial-insect-to-papaya/

Hopefully they don't have much effect like you said.

Fruit wasps have me worried.  I don't know how common they are.  I'm considering using nets for covering the fruits.  Not sure at what size of the fruit the net should be applied.

[Orly]

Mealy bugs. I just wipe them off with my fingers. Or if its really bad take a hose and spray them off.

I'll probably hose them off.  It's a lot of leaves.

My yard is full of aphids, always getting on many of my plants.  It seems that if the plant is healthy, it can handle them.

[bsbullie]

Mealy bugs. I just wipe them off with my fingers. Or if its really bad take a hose and spray them off.

I'll probably hose them off.  It's a lot of leaves.

My yard is full of aphids, always getting on many of my plants.  It seems that if the plant is healthy, it can handle them.

If your yard is full of aohids and mealybugs and then you most likely do not have any predators to rid them.  I woulf try and get them under control and eradicate as they can damage your plants and fruit.

[Vernmented]

I have had a boom in mealy bugs at my place. I have done some major soil disturbance and I think that is probably part of the reason. I left them alone and the black lady bugs started showing up to take care of them. I had some papayas that were starting to get stressed from being potted too long while I was building their new planting area. Now that they are planted the mealy bugs are almost taken care of on them. The other papayas I didn't use I got rid of. I am going to put out some Terro ant bait as well since they go hand in hand with mealy bugs.

[Orly]

I have had a boom in mealy bugs at my place. I have done some major soil disturbance and I think that is probably part of the reason. I left them alone and the black lady bugs started showing up to take care of them. I had some papayas that were starting to get stressed from being potted too long while I was building their new planting area. Now that they are planted the mealy bugs are almost taken care of on them. The other papayas I didn't use I got rid of. I am going to put out some Terro ant bait as well since they go hand in hand with mealy bugs.

I did some major yard remodeling myself a few months ago so that could be a factor.  The ant-bait is a good idea.

[Orly]

Mealy bugs. I just wipe them off with my fingers. Or if its really bad take a hose and spray them off.

I'll probably hose them off.  It's a lot of leaves.

My yard is full of aphids, always getting on many of my plants.  It seems that if the plant is healthy, it can handle them.

Easier said than done
If your yard is full of aohids and mealybugs and then you most likely do not have any predators to rid them.  I woulf try and get them under control and eradicate as they can damage your plants and fruit.

[Orly]

I blasted all that white crud off the tree yesterday.  Lets see how long it stays free of those things.

Thx

[Orly]

One week later and the mealy bugs were back.  Persistent little bastards. Had to hose them off again.

[Chupa King]

Aphids tend to hang out where there are abundant amounts of nitrogen. Or so it seems in my yard... Little bastards.

[Orly]

Thankfully, they haven't been able to do any harm to my healthy plants from what I can see.

[Orly]

Just after a few days the mealy bugs are starting to show-up again, I give up. 

I did just see a good critter on the Papaya tree, a Zelus longipes, AKA milkweed assassin bug.  They eat the bad critters including the worms that frequently chew up my banana plants.

[gnappi]

Fruit wasps have me worried.  I don't know how common they are.  I'm considering using nets for covering the fruits.  Not sure at what size of the fruit the net should be applied.

I get them in my yard, and I net every fruit. The net or bag depends size on the fruit, put the biggest net that won't be too small as the fruit matures.

[sapote]

In SoCal I have these bugs on orange trees during new leaf grow season, and of course are protected by Argentinean ants. A mix solution of water and disk detergent (Palm Olive) painted on the infected areas rid them for a long period.