mealybugs on Aloe
Quick answer
If your Aloe has mealybugs, the most likely cause is: Mealybugs are sap-feeding insects that cluster in the leaf axils of succulents including Aloe, where they cover themselves with a fluffy white waxy substance that gives them protection from water-based sprays and makes them difficult to control.
Start here:
- 1. Spray the plant thoroughly with a solution of fatty acids or plant oils such as rape seed oil to dissolve the mealybugs' waxy coating, applied two or three times at one-week intervals.
- 2. Saturate the leaves top and bottom and the stem with a neem oil solution or a mild dish soap like Dawn mixed with water, letting it drip into the soil, and isolate the treated plant from the rest of the collection.
Why Aloe gets mealybugs
Aloe
Mealybugs are sap-feeding insects that cluster in the leaf axils of succulents including Aloe, where they cover themselves with a fluffy white waxy substance that gives them protection from water-based sprays and makes them difficult to control.
How to reverse mealybugs on Aloe
- 1
Spray the plant thoroughly with a solution of fatty acids or plant oils such as rape seed oil to dissolve the mealybugs' waxy coating, applied two or three times at one-week intervals.
- 2
Saturate the leaves top and bottom and the stem with a neem oil solution or a mild dish soap like Dawn mixed with water, letting it drip into the soil, and isolate the treated plant from the rest of the collection.
Keep mealybugs off this Aloe
Inspect any new succulent before bringing it near an Aloe, check leaf axils and leaf undersides at every watering, allow the soil to dry between waterings, and avoid over-fertilizing which attracts sap-feeding pests.