What pest could this be? Ficus Benjamin

I have a big Ficus Benjamin and note since weeks that leaves fall of. It just recovered from fungus gnats, that in the end I had to treat with poison added to the water I feed it.

Now it loses a few leaves a day and I noted the small white spots on green leaves and on the brown leaves. See pics. Any idea what it is and how to treat it?

Thanks eric

 

Looks like the dreaded mealy bug. We have had it on our orchids and insectivorous plants and it has been a nightmare trying to treat it. Using cotton buds and methylated spirits does help for a time but getting right down into the nodes is still difficult.
Good luck.

 

It does look like it.. I had it on my passiflora. I couldn't eradicate it all. Eventually lost it over a season. (Although some shoots have now appeared from the ground!)

 

Thanks. This Ficus is about 8 foot tall and big as you imagine. I can see the cotton bud method is a mission impossible. Anybody any other tips?

 

The only alternative is a systemic insecticide (i.e. one which is absorbed into the plant), if you can find one these days?

 

I've found the vine weevil drench to be fairly effective on mealy bug, it would also sort out fungus gnats.
I use it on ornamentals but never on edible plants.
BugClear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer 480ml

Just wonder if there might be some scale insect as well, mealy bug always looks a bit more fuzzy to me, almost Wooley until the meths hits it and the brown insect shows inside the fluff.

 

Yes was wondering that myself. Any tips as to what to get (if available).

 

Thanks. What kind of scale insect would you think of here?

 

Just a suggestion I'm not well up on the different types, whatever type, if it is, a systemic insecticide should kill it.

 

OK thanks Pete.