mealybugs on Echinocereus Coccineus
Quick answer
If your Echinocereus Coccineus has mealybugs, the most likely cause is: Mealy bugs are the most common pest of cacti and succulents and readily settle on Echinocereus in the crown, between the ribs and on the roots; they are small elliptical insects covered in a waxy white meal, and the related root mealy bug shows up as a white dusty substance around the root system and on the inside of the pot.
Start here:
- 1. Bare the roots of the affected Echinocereus coccineus, wash every trace of old soil off the root ball, then dip the whole plant in a dilute malathion or systemic pesticide solution before repotting into fresh, fast-draining cactus mix.
- 2. Hand-remove any visible mealy tufts from the crown and between the ribs with a brush dipped in alcohol, then apply insecticidal soap and repeat applications to catch newly hatched crawlers before they spread to neighbouring cacti.
Why Echinocereus Coccineus gets mealybugs
Echinocereus Coccineus
Mealy bugs are the most common pest of cacti and succulents and readily settle on Echinocereus in the crown, between the ribs and on the roots; they are small elliptical insects covered in a waxy white meal, and the related root mealy bug shows up as a white dusty substance around the root system and on the inside of the pot.
How to reverse mealybugs on Echinocereus Coccineus
- 1
Bare the roots of the affected Echinocereus coccineus, wash every trace of old soil off the root ball, then dip the whole plant in a dilute malathion or systemic pesticide solution before repotting into fresh, fast-draining cactus mix.
- 2
Hand-remove any visible mealy tufts from the crown and between the ribs with a brush dipped in alcohol, then apply insecticidal soap and repeat applications to catch newly hatched crawlers before they spread to neighbouring cacti.
Keep mealybugs off this Echinocereus Coccineus
Quarantine every new Echinocereus coccineus and inspect its crown and roots before adding it to the collection, and sterilize the area around any infested plant because the waxy white meal protects mealy bugs from many contact sprays.