FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

So I have a few questions regarding 2 plants but they may or may not be related.

I have been fighting mealybugs on my Singalana and I noticed this in the tray it sits on the other day





My question is: what is it? Something to do with mealy bugs? If so, what?

This is really my first case of mealybugs. This is what I’m dealing with. I get it to go away for a few months and it comes back.





Then I have a Rafflesiana x Sibuyanensis that is nearby that has what looks to be the same stuff in its tray as the other one. I don’t see any mealybugs but this is on its leaves





Thanks in advance

I can't help you with identifying what is in your tray, but I just finished a battle with mealybugs that started sometime in June. If I were you, I would immediately isolate your infested plants, and then use a q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol on every mealybug and white spot on your plants, every time you see one. Mealybugs live in the soil, and then crawl up onto the plants, so I would suggest removing all of the soil and re potting in new, fresh soil. I also sprayed my plants daily with 50% water 50% isopropyl alcohol mix. Bayer 3 in 1 works amazing, and I sprayed my plants with it every 2 weeks. You have to do in consistently every 2 weeks, or else the mealybugs will mutate and become Bayer 3 in 1 resistant. The stuff is definitely not good to breathe in, so I would suggest spraying right before bedtime or right before you go to work so you aren't around the plants for a good 6-8 hours. It takes a while, but if you are persistent, you can kill them off. Mealybugs are also warm growing bugs, so in the winter they should die off. Good luck.

Sam makes some very good suggestions , and there are many other products you can use , think his will be quite adequate, we use different products in AU that you probably can not get any more in the USA , , 1 thing to note is mealy can live in soil yes but in any crack or rim cover or under the pot even very well too , washing the pot in bleach at 10 % strength & soaking for 8 hrs will kill off any then nasty critters and eggs too if your going to use same pot or dump it in a bin or burn it and get a new pot if all that is too much trouble, treat under growing benches and other grow area as they can hid very well in and area and pop back up again unexpectedly seeming from no where, treating the whole grow area is prudent for total control of Mealy bug spider mite and alike , the bits falling on the the try beneath are probably the skeletal shells of the growing bugs on the plant , you have mites on the plant as well evident with brown or black pot marking s on the leafs , if not treated productively your plant will go back wads very quickly and will take much longer to recover , possibly years !! increase ventilation and possibly light ! , and treat several times to break the egg cycle or it starts all over again , the egg cycle is 5 to 8 days from egg to hatching depending on temps and humidity, hope this helps a bit and good luck
cheers john