Whether you’re a keen outdoor gardener or an avid houseplant
collector, if your plants have ever suffered a mealy bug
infestation you’ll know all about the damage these fluffy little
pests can do. And you’ll probably also know how hard it is to
kill mealy bugs. What are Mealy Bugs? Members of the
Psuedococcidae family of scale insects, mealy bugs are about an
eighth of an inch long and have a white powdery appearance.
Mealy bugs feed on plant sap and generally position themselves
under leaves and at stem joints, while they attack the plant
with piercing mouths known as stylets. This penetrative feeding
style damages the plant by draining its sap and transmits
bacterial and fungal infections. Heavy infestations can kill a
plant. A Protective Layer Mealy bugs are soft-bodied creatures,
but they secrete a powdery wax layer over themselves. This
protective layer gives them their name, as it makes them look as
though they’ve been coated in meal or flour. It is also what
makes it so difficult to kill mealy bugs. Sp