mealybugs on Echinocereus Fendleri
Quick answer
If your Echinocereus Fendleri has mealybugs, the most likely cause is: Mealybugs are listed as the most important pests of cacti including Echinocereus fendleri; the white woolly female lays up to 500 eggs three times a year, with each batch hatching in roughly 10 days, and a soil-dwelling root-mealy form attacks the roots before any sign shows above the surface, so a sickly plant is the first hint that root mealies are present.
Start here:
- 1. Shake off the old soil and dip the entire root system of an infested Echinocereus fendleri in methylated spirit, then let the roots dry before re-potting into fresh, sterile cactus compost.
- 2. Spray the stems, crown and any exposed roots thoroughly with a relatively environmentally benign plant spray such as neem oil or insecticidal soap, repeating every 7 to 10 days until no fresh white woolly masses appear.
Why Echinocereus Fendleri gets mealybugs
Echinocereus Fendleri
Mealybugs are listed as the most important pests of cacti including Echinocereus fendleri; the white woolly female lays up to 500 eggs three times a year, with each batch hatching in roughly 10 days, and a soil-dwelling root-mealy form attacks the roots before any sign shows above the surface, so a sickly plant is the first hint that root mealies are present.
How to reverse mealybugs on Echinocereus Fendleri
- 1
Shake off the old soil and dip the entire root system of an infested Echinocereus fendleri in methylated spirit, then let the roots dry before re-potting into fresh, sterile cactus compost.
- 2
Spray the stems, crown and any exposed roots thoroughly with a relatively environmentally benign plant spray such as neem oil or insecticidal soap, repeating every 7 to 10 days until no fresh white woolly masses appear.
Keep mealybugs off this Echinocereus Fendleri
Quarantine every newly acquired Echinocereus fendleri for several weeks, unpot it and inspect the roots for white woolly masses before adding it to a collection, and avoid systemic insecticides that can harm bees visiting nearby flowers.