If you want to grow healthy succulents, you’ll need to learn how to get rid of mealybugs! There’s no escaping it.
Don’t worry, though, because getting rid of them is not a difficult or expensive process, and you probably already have everything in you need in your home.
Before we get down to the details of eliminating mealybugs, however, you need to understand why they’re so bad for your plants and you need to learn to identify them before they get out of control. So let’s get started!
What are Mealybugs?
While we all love succulents for their incredibly low-maintenance qualities, mealybugs are something that succulent-grower needs to watch out for.
You may have seen these bugs on your plants before but you may not have realized they were insects. You may have mistaken them for fungus or mildew!
Here’s the somewhat good news, though: if you squirm at the very sight of ugly, long-legged insects, you won’t have to face that problem with this type of bug. Mealybugs don’t actually look like your regular old insects – hooray!
They actually look more like tiny little cotton balls. They’re easier to spot on darker-leafed succulents than light-colored ones, like your Echevarria Lolas.
By definition, mealybugs are soft-skinned and sap-sucking scale insects that can multiply and form colonies if not caught in time.
They bite into plant tissue to feed off their sap – yikes! – which is why they’re often referred to as “plant-sucking pests”.
As they eat the sap, they release honeydew onto your succulent’s leaves that can promote rot.
Unfortunately, female mealybugs can plant hundreds of eggs with every excrement so getting rid of these bugs as soon as you see them is crucial to the survival of your plant.
How to Identify Mealybugs
Mealybugs are not hard to spot if you regularly inspect your succulents. If you see little mounds of white cotton-like balls on the leaves of your plant, you most likely have a mealybug infestation.
Here’s an example of a tiny mealybug that made it’s home on my Echevarria. Luckily, I only saw one or two white mounds so that means I caught the problem before it multiplied and ruined my pretty little plant.
Another sign a mealybug infestation is yellow, curling leaves.
How to Get Rid of Mealybugs on Succulents
Here’s some more good news: you don’t have to go out and purchase an expensive insecticide that’s full of harmful chemicals.
You don’t even have to bother with making your own natural insecticide at home. So what do you need to get a handle on your mealybug problem?
Rubbing alcohol, a few cotton swabs, and a spray bottle…that’s it!
Here’s the process:
1. Spot the mealybug (white cotton-like mounds on your plant)
It’s important to take action after you notice these little white mounds on your succulents. Make sure to check in spots that are not in plain view, such as the undersides of leaves and in the crevices where the leaves and stem connect. You’ll be surprised at how well these little sappers can hide!
2. Isolate the infested succulents so the infestation doesn’t spread to your other plants.
When bugs get a hold of a plant, it’s always a good idea to isolate your infected plant. Mealybugs spread very quickly, so you should act fast to prevent them from overtaking your healthy plants. If your succulents are in a pot, move the pot away from your other potted plants.
Once you’ve treated the infested succulent, you can move it back to where you had it. I suggest waiting a few days after treating it to make sure the bugs don’t come back.
If you only see one or a few white mounds on your succulent, then I suggest swabbing at the mealybugs with a rubbing-alcohol drenched Q-tip. This should easily get rid of your problem – the alcohol acts fast!
Check up on your plant every day to make sure that the mealybugs are completely gone. Remember to keep your succulent away from your other plants during this time.
4. For large infestations, use a spray bottle filled with Rubbing Alcohol and water to spritz and drench your plant.
Don’t worry – the rubbing alcohol will not harm your succulent, but it will kill the mealybugs and stop them from spreading. You can repeat this process every day until you see no further signs of bugs.
When you do this, you’ll notice that the alcohol goes to work immediately. The remains of the dead bugs might turn into small, brown-ish particles that you can simply brush away with a small brush (I use an old makeup brush for this!).
5. For a very large infestation, try adding rubbing alcohol to your watering can the next time you water.
The alcohol will kill any eggs and bugs that are in the soil while leaving your roots unharmed. Fortunately, alcohol evaporates quickly, so you don’t run the risk of exposing your succulent leaves to too much moisture.
This will be your last chance to save your infested succulents from mealybugs. If you don’t see improvement in your plant within the next few days, then I’m afraid it’s time to toss it out. Make sure you throw our the plant and the soil, and completely disinfect the pot if you’re going to reuse it.
If you follow these steps, your succulents should be fine and free of bugs with little effort and expense on your part!
If you’d liked to learn how to water your succulents, please check out my in-depth post here. If you need a refresher on how to care for succulents, then this post is for you!