Please Help Identify my Pests!!!!!

Discussion in 'Identification Area' started by jimbobrosie, Oct 6, 2009.

  1. jimbobrosie

    jimbobrosie Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi,

    Could someone please tell me what these are and how to get rid of them quickly?

    thanks

    Jamie
     
  2. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

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    Do they fly off in clouds when you go near? Then they are whitefly. Very hard to get rid of. There are insecticides which do control them, but you need to read the instructions as some plants, especially succulents hate insecticides.
    If they 'stick' to the plant then they could be mealy bugs, same strictures as above apply.
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    They do look like whitefly, a 'green' solution is to use a very dilute pure soap spray. I use 1 teaspoonful of Stergene in 1 pint of water, volumes are not critical. Then spray twice a week (don't spray in the full sun if your plant is sitting on a window sill).
     
  4. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

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    Funny how many people regard 'soap' as a 'green; alternative. There are far more toxic chemicals in liquid soap than there are in the worst of amateur available insecticides.
    Still it does work, but do be careful succulents are very susceptible to many things. We lost a whole greenhouse full of Sedums and Sempervivums and Echeverias plus some others because someone decided to spray it with an insecticide (not sure which) for greenfly. The whole lot turned black and went to mush!
     
  5. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    That's why I put 'green' in quotes. :thumb:

    IĆ¢??d be very surprised if this was really the case. :cnfs:

    I would only use a pure soap like Stergene on plants, I've heard it said that washing up liquid contains ingredients that are harmful to plants. :gnthb:
     
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