Root Mealybugs: Learn About Mealybugs in Soil Preventing and Treatment

At present, there are over 200 species of root mealybugs across the United States.

But, What Are Root Mealybugs?
Root mealybugs (Rhizoecus spp.) are small, wingless insects around one-tenth of an inch long characterized by a thin white or gray wax coating over their bodies.

This unique appearance comes from the waxy coating they secrete when they feed off plants. Smaller bugs are wax-free and tinted yellow.

They are considered pests because of their tendency to feed off the plant's root system of healthy ornamental plants and trees and act as a catalyst to other plant diseases.

These small insect pests are found around the world but found more often in places with warmer environments.

Soil mealybugs enjoy living in the root ball and potting soil while feeding in moist, warm climates and are found of:

Succulent Plants – many types
African Violets
Zonal Geraniums
Pelargoniums
Streptocarpus
Succulent plants and African violets are often watered from below through the drainage holes.

What Damage Does A Root Mealybug Infestation Cause?
Root mealybugs feed on plant roots of host plants by sucking the sap from the tissues through their stylets (or mouth).

As these serious pests feed, they leave behind honeydew which can later result in the growth of mold on the plant.

In smaller numbers, they do not have a significant effect on the plant’s health.

However, their ability to lay eggs and multiply at an exponentially fast rate means that they can go from being a mild problem to becoming a heavy infestation in no time.

If the infestation gets too large, the plants are likely to die from rot.

There are a few ways to identify a mealybug infestation.

The first signs may be the yellowing and wilting of the leaves as it will look like the plant’s health begins to deteriorate.

The soil around the plant is also another indicator. It may start to take on a blue-tinted appearance due to the waxy filaments covering mealy bugs body.

It can be hard to detect an infestation until the plant is heavily infected.

Look for the bugs while the soil is dry as watering the area has the tendency to make them disperse and difficult to see.

How To Control Root Mealy Bugs
There are several ways to treat soil mealybugs if your plants have been affected.

Natural pest control
Biological control
Organic pest options
Chemical control
Natural Pest Management
NOTE: Years ago I knew a private succulent grower (Reggie) in South Florida.
He handled root mealybug populations on his succulents by submerging the roots in hot water. Here was his process.

For potted plants, Reggie would get rid of the mealybug infestation by:

Removing the infected succulent plant from its pot
Knocking off and removing as much soil as possible
Sterilizing the plant and root system by soaking the roots in hot water with a temperature between 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.
Sterilize or replace the pot
This effectively killed the mealybugs and their eggs living inside the roots without harming your plant.
Reggie would then repot the succulent into fresh soil.
He also mixed a little bit of diatomaceous earth into the potting mix to help control mealies or eggs that escaped.
Biological Control
The mealybug destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) are small gray beetles often used to control citrus mealybugs (Planococcus citri).

Both adults and larvae feed on mealybugs. The larval stage resembles a mealybug.

Before releasing these mealy destroyers DO NOT use any insecticides or pesticides for at least a month prior to their release.

Learn more about Cryptolaemus montrouzieri destroyers here.

Organic Pest Management Options
Neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and diatomaceous earth are all organic options available to control mealybug populations.

As mentioned above diatomaceous earth can be mixed into the soil.

Insecticidal soaps and Neem oil can be used as a drench on some plant varieties.

Chemical Controls
It can be trickier to deal with root mealybug control in soil on plants in your garden.

A pesticide is your best option in such a scenario.

Some pesticides that you can use include Phenothrin, Bifenthrin, Chlorpyrifos, Dichlorvos, and Tetramethrin.

In order to prevent further infestations, take some precautionary measures.

This includes being careful about any new plants you intend to buy.

Make sure they are free of any clear of any signs of infections

Wash out affected pots with soap and hot water to ensure any plant repotted does not catch the bugs.

Avoid letting water from an infected plant or infested areas travel to other plants.

Baby root mealybugs can be transported through the water and end up infecting other plants.

If possible avoid root-bound plants as they are the ones likely to develop host colonies of root mealy bugs.