[IBC] how to get rid of mealy bugs??

Eva Soukalova

Hi,

we have a problem with mealy bugs on our Fukien Tea... we found them few
weeks ago and since then we try to pick them up using ear buds soaked in
alcohol... we always think we got rid of them and we always find some
more in few days.

Is there any other way how to get rid of them? We want to be gentle to
the tree but we are also getting desperate...

a friend of ours recommended using "tobacco" spray or "soap" spray - but
we are not sure whether it can be used on bonsai (he uses it on his
tomatoes ) - and if it can be used - in what quantities?

We also noticed that some stems are "dried out" and falling off. The
truth is, we never noticed that before but it may as well as be not
related to the bugs (our Fukien just started to grow berries).

Thank you for your help!

David and Eva

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Jim Lewis

> Hi,
>
> we have a problem with mealy bugs on our Fukien Tea... we found
them few
> weeks ago and since then we try to pick them up using ear buds
soaked in
> alcohol... we always think we got rid of them and we always
find some
> more in few days.
>
> Is there any other way how to get rid of them? We want to be
gentle to
> the tree but we are also getting desperate...
>
> a friend of ours recommended using "tobacco" spray or "soap"
spray - but
> we are not sure whether it can be used on bonsai (he uses it on
his
> tomatoes ) - and if it can be used - in what quantities?

I recommend against tobacco spray. The soap spray should work
over here, SAFERS makes a good soap spray. Or you can make your
own with 1-3 teaspoons of liquid soap (NOT detergent!) per gallon
of water. Some people mix it with a tablespoon or so of
vegetable oil, but that just makes mixing it harder.

Or, a spray with pyrethrin in it will work fine.

Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

>
> We also noticed that some stems are "dried out" and falling
off. The
> truth is, we never noticed that before but it may as well as be
not
> related to the bugs (our Fukien just started to grow berries).
>
> Thank you for your help!
>
> David and Eva
>
>
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>

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Gary Biggs

Actually, it is easy to rid yourself of these miniature armadillos. First, gently touch them with your finger. They should respond to this by instantly rolling up into a tight little ball that resembles a small marble with several itsy bitsy legs. Using your middle finger, quickly flick them over the fence and into your neighbor's yard. Trust me. This really works. Should they survive pulling that many Gs during their launching phase, not to mention the rigors of a freefall landing 10 or more yards from where they launched, it often takes them days and sometimes even weeks to hobble back across your property line. You can always identify the recidivist mealies because they will roll up into a ball when just the shadow of your finger crosses their path. Repeat this procedure every 7-14 days, or until your mealie problem is resolved.

Good luck and best regards,

Gary

__________________
Como gastamos nuestros dias es como gastamos nuestras vidas.

Nina Shishkoff

> > we have a problem with mealy bugs on our Fukien Tea... we found
> them few
> > weeks ago and since then we try to pick them up using ear buds
> soaked in
> > alcohol...


Jim said:
The soap spray should work
> over here, SAFERS makes a good soap spray.

I just had someone contact the "bonsai doctor" with a fukien tea that he had sprayed with a soap insecticide, and it had made the tree completely defoliate. So I'd test the soap first, before doing the whole tree.....

I have very good luck with pyrethrin sprays against scale insects, and I haven't seen any phytotoxicity, but I don't have a fukien tea, of course.

Nina
---
Nina Shishkoff
ns44@cornell.edu

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++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Jim Lewis

> > > we have a problem with mealy bugs on our Fukien Tea... we
found
> > them few
> > > weeks ago and since then we try to pick them up using ear
buds
> > soaked in
> > > alcohol...
>
>
> Jim said:
> The soap spray should work
> > over here, SAFERS makes a good soap spray.
>
> I just had someone contact the "bonsai doctor" with a fukien
tea that he had sprayed with a soap insecticide, and it had made
the tree completely defoliate. So I'd test the soap first,
before doing the whole tree.....

Ouch! Yes. ALWAYS test a spray you haven't used on a particular
species before spraying that prize-winning tree.

This was my ignorance of tropicals coming out. I KNOW that soap
is bad for trident maples, and should have warmned that it may be
bad for other species, too. My bad.


>
> I have very good luck with pyrethrin sprays against scale
insects, and I haven't seen any phytotoxicity, but I don't have a
fukien tea, of course.
>

My second recommendation, which should have been my first. I
have yet to find anything that reacts badly to pyrethrin sprays.
(except bugs, of course ;-)

BUT STILL, TEST IT.

Listen to Doctor Nina!

Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++