mealybugs on Hoya Krimson Queen
Quick answer
If your Hoya Krimson Queen has mealybugs, the most likely cause is: Hoya carnosa cultivars including 'Krimson Queen' are listed as prone hosts to mealybugs (alongside whitefly, scale insects, and aphids); mealybugs cluster on stems, in leaf joints, and on the underside of foliage, sucking sap and excreting sticky honeydew that is later colonised by sooty mould, which weakens the plant and turns leaves yellow.
Start here:
- 1. Wipe mealybugs off the stems, leaf joints, and undersides of leaves with a damp cloth or cotton bud soaked with insecticide.
- 2. Spray the whole plant with insecticide once a week until the infestation clears, or release a biological control; isolate the plant from healthy houseplants while treating.
Why Hoya Krimson Queen gets mealybugs
hoya krimson queen
Hoya carnosa cultivars including 'Krimson Queen' are listed as prone hosts to mealybugs (alongside whitefly, scale insects, and aphids); mealybugs cluster on stems, in leaf joints, and on the underside of foliage, sucking sap and excreting sticky honeydew that is later colonised by sooty mould, which weakens the plant and turns leaves yellow.
How to reverse mealybugs on Hoya Krimson Queen
- 1
Wipe mealybugs off the stems, leaf joints, and undersides of leaves with a damp cloth or cotton bud soaked with insecticide.
- 2
Spray the whole plant with insecticide once a week until the infestation clears, or release a biological control; isolate the plant from healthy houseplants while treating.
Keep mealybugs off this Hoya Krimson Queen
Inspect new plants before introducing them to the collection, check the stems and leaf joints regularly for the white, slow-moving insects, and keep the foliage clean so early outbreaks are spotted before honeydew and sooty mould develop.