Episode: # 12 30/06/07
Presenter: Judy Horton

Mealy bugs are sap sucking insect pests that get their name form the fluffy, flowering coating they build over to protect themselves. They love to attack plants that are in protected positions or growing indoors.

They get in the parts of the plant that are sheltered, such as the base of the stem or under the leaves and even down on the roots.

Some people recommend treating mealy bug by dabbing each individual pest with a cotton bud dipped in mentholated spirits. Now it does have some effect but it takes forever.

A far more effective and certainly easier solution is to spray the plant with low toxic, systemic fungicide, Confidor.

It is important to apply it right down at the plants base, as well as all over the leaves. Do the same thing a couple of weeks later and then again two weeks after that.

www.yates.com.au

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Bayer Confidor Insecticide

• Used to control aphids, azalea lace bugs, greenhouse thrips, mealybug, soft scale, hibiscus flower beetle, sap sucking bugs, psyllids.
• Systemic action - absorbed through the foliage and moves throughout the plant to control insect pests - works from the inside out.
• Good for spot treatment of pests.
• Low toxic, water based formulation.
• Soft on beneficial insects such as ladybirds