Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 18:50:10 +1000 From: Andrew Bernuetz <andrewb@camden.usyd.edu.au> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3424$foo@default> Subject: Mealy bugs on roots
James Vicari wrote:
>
> Does anybody have any suggestions on how to eliminate mealy bugs on
> Sarracenia roots? Also, is there any way to prevent them?
I have been dealing with these bastards for several years now on my
sarracenia collection. There appears to be two different types (on mine
anyway). One type inhabits the soil, being most active when the roots are
most active, ie. spring and summer, and the other tends to inhabit above
soil areas, underneath where the pitchers attach to the rhizome. I suspect
that both can transmit viruses. The main damage that they cause appears to
be distortion of the pitchers, although sometimes this does not occur. I
have tried insecticides such as malathion, rogor, lebaycid and folimat,
with and without white oil, bleach, submerging in water with and without
some of the previously listed chemnicals, applying the chemicals after
removing all soil and then repotting and probably others that I have
forgotten.
The best method to rid these pests is to submerge your plants below the
rhizome in water, perhaps with some white oil to aid in drowning the
buggers that rise to the water surface (the waxy coating they have is very
water repellant), for at least 7 days. This way newly laid eggs should be
killed.
I grow my plants on 'ant-proof' benches, as ants are the main means of
their dispersal. These consist of a barrier of sticky pest glue coated
around the legs of a large bench which has no bridges available for ants to
get across.
Hope this has been of some help.
Andrew Bernuetz
andrewb@camden.usyd.edu.au
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