Mealy Bugs ???...

Edit: Turns out they are Mealy bugs, so I changed to Subject of the post

Original post:

Are these Woolly Aphids? or something else?

They are on an Oleander in a pot, which is just coming into flower. Had them last year, very badly, cut the plant right down to the ground this spring and its grown really healthy ... until now :(

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Top of leaves

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Underside of leaves

(Click image for a larger version)

 

Kristen, I think they might be mealy bugs.

 

Spot on, thanks. Kicking myself, as I do know of them! Fooled by the fluffy-stuff they have produced.

Given that I haven't seen them all year I reckon they have come back in again from somewhere.

I'll give them a blast of something noxious.

 

I can honestly say I have never come across them, but I was under the impression that they are a problem under glass rather than outside.
I think the waxy wool is a bit of protection for them, at one time it was suggested painting them with meths, but that seems a bit long winded.

Maybe there is an insecticide that works on them these days.

 

Definitely Mealy Bug as I know only too well. Yes Pete, we used to 'paint ' overwintering Coleus with Meths but not a healthy type of pest control, the waxy coating is an effective form of protection. Malathion and Decis have been used successfully but are no longer in use.

Kristen, the commercial insecticide Provado is supposed to control MB but I haven't tried it yet.

 

Thanks guys. They never spread onto anything other than the Oleander last year (and I didn't do anything about them ... naughty me!)

Any idea why they have come back, but I've seen no sign of them since last Autumn? I'm thinking maybe I need to stop out a source of them too, or is it just that Oleander is more prone? (Its grown really strongly this year since being cut back, last year it might have been more of a weedy-thing, and perhaps more suceptible to disease).

I moved all my Fuchsia cuttings into the conservatory yesterday ... and then reading up on Mealy Bug they are on the short list of things that it likes :(

I suppose I could stick the Oleander outside for a bit ... until first frost anyway.

 

As I said its not a pest that I have had much dealing with, but its considered a pest of cacti a succulents.

I wouldn't mind betting the plant had a few lurking when you bought it and they overwintered.

Its an greenhouse pest I believe and I'd spray the oleander and leave it out as late as you dare, light frost is not a real problem to them (oleander that is).

 

Mealybug can survive outside in mild winters but last year should have been the exception, it is possible they overwintered on the plant.
I found Phormiums planted on a roundabout with Mealybug so perhaps they are hardier than we think.
My Oleanders are planted outside and took -5c with no damage last winter, you may get lower temperatures where you are but it is worth tyring them outside.

I have never had Mealybug on Fucshias, only Red Spider and whitefly, as if that wasn't enough!