Pests
Mealybugs
Quick answer
How do I get rid of mealybugs on houseplants?
Mealybugs look like small tufts of white cotton in leaf joints and under leaves. Dab each one with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then spray the plant with insecticidal soap and check it weekly — they hide in crevices and in the soil, so it takes several rounds.
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Mealybugs are slow, soft-bodied insects covered in a white waxy coat that protects them from water and sprays. They love succulents, orchids and plants with tight leaf joints.
How to tell
- White, cottony clusters where leaves meet stems, along leaf veins and inside new growth.
- Sticky leaves or surfaces below the plant (honeydew), sometimes with black sooty mould.
- Slowed growth, yellowing and leaf drop.
- Root mealybugs: white fluff on the roots or around the inside of the pot rim when you unpot, and a plant that declines for no visible reason.
How to get rid of them
- Isolate the plant and check its neighbours carefully.
- Dab every visible mealybug with a cotton swab dipped in 70% rubbing alcohol. Test on one leaf first and wait a day; a few plants are sensitive.
- Rinse the plant, then spray with insecticidal soap or a neem product, working into every joint.
- Repeat weekly for four to six weeks. New ones hatching from hidden eggs are why a single treatment never works.
- Root mealybugs: unpot, wash the roots clean, dip them in insecticidal soap solution, and repot in fresh soil in a clean pot.
If a plant is heavily infested, it is often better to take clean cuttings and throw the rest away than to keep treating it.
How to prevent them
Inspect new plants at the joints and roots before buying, keep them apart for two weeks, and check leaf joints when you water. Early, they're a five-minute job.
Still unsure? Ask Plant Whisperer in the app. It knows your plants, their history and where they stand, and answers about yours, not plants in general. Get the app
Follow the label on any spray or treatment, test it on one leaf first, and keep pets away from treated plants until they're dry.
