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Preventing mealy bugs in a less noxious way

Mike Mack, a Buxton Member, presented the following at our November 2018 meeting.  He tried and tested this method over the Summer on his plants and wanted to share it because it is safer to use than most all of the chemicals found on the market today to treat this problem.  

Less Noxious but Effective Spray for Mealy Bugs by Mike Mack

This spray consists of the following:
​

1. Bonide Eight. Active ingredient permethrin. 1 1⁄2 tsp/quart water
2. Safer Insect Killing Soap. Active Ingredient potassium soap 1⁄2 tsp/quart water
3. Optional Spectracide Immunox. Active Ingredient myclobutanil. 1 1⁄2 tsp/quart water

The permethrin is recommended to treat clothing to kill ticks. In fact you can buy pretreated clothing for this purpose and evidently the effectiveness will last through 3 or 4 washings. It is also used in shampoos to kill head lice particularly for children. It is only very slightly absorbed by the skin and is low toxicity and not a carcinogen as far I was able to learn.

The permethrin, an artificial pyrethroid, can kill mealy bugs but doesn’t penetrate their waxy coating well. The potassium soap is used dissolve the waxy coating enough to allow the permethrin to get at the mealy bugs. I started off 1 1⁄2 tsp per quart of the soap but learned that cuttings and small plants do not react well to that much of the soap. Hence the 1⁄2 tsp per quart. Do not use a detergent since these are deleterious to plants.

The myclobutanil in Immunox is the same ingredient as in Eagle fungicide though at a lower concentration and a lower price. Myclobutanil is purported to have low acute toxicity but contact with eyes, skin and lungs must be avoided. Spectracide makes a premix of Immunox and permethrin so I know the two are compatible. I have assumed the soap to be compatible and have noted no ill effects of the full mix which is what I used all summer. Use the usual spray precautions-- paint spray mask to avoid breathing the spray in, latex or similar gloves, long sleeves and long pants. If Immunox is used make sure the eyes are protected as well.   



 ©  Copyright 2022 Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society.  All rights reserved.  All images copyrighted by BB of the ABS, or their respective owners listed. 
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Buxton's 80th Anniversary
    • Buxton Membership Information >
      • In Memory of >
        • In Memory of Stuart Hammer
        • In Memory of Wanda Mcnair
        • In Memory of Judy Becker
        • In Memory of Normand Dufresne
        • In Memory of Our Friend Charles Jaros
    • Buxton Officers
    • Contact Us
    • Calendar
    • Speaking Engagements
    • Member News >
      • Buxton Member News
    • Donate!
    • Privacy Policy
  • Our Plant Shows
    • Buxton Annual Begonia Show Rules & Entry Form
    • Buxton Begonia Shows >
      • 2022 Begonia Exhibition
      • 2021 Begonia Exhibition
      • 2019 Begonia Show Winners
      • 2018 Begonia Show Winners >
        • Buxton Show 2018
      • 2017 Begonia Show Winners >
        • Buxton Begonia Show 2017 All Entries
        • Buxton 2017 Show General Photos
      • 2016 Begonia Show
      • 2015 Show Photo Gallery >
        • 2015 Begonia Show
      • 2014 Begonia Show Awards List
      • 2014 Begonia Show
      • 2013 Begonia Show
    • Begonia National Convention 2015 Photo Gallery
    • The Boston Flower Show - Amateur Horticulture Competition 2019
    • Buxton at the 2015 Boston Flower Show
  • Begonia Everything!
    • Begonia Plant of the Month
    • What Is This Begonia?
    • Where to Buy Begonias
    • Begonia Care, Etc.
    • Begonia Info Sources
    • Prominent Books and Articles On Begonias
    • Botanic Gardens to See Begonias
    • Begonia Sightings >
      • Other Plant Shows
      • Flower Shows - 2019
      • Cambridge Science Festival
      • Keukenhof Gardens Amsterdam
      • Begonias at the 2017 Philadelphia Flower Show
      • Holiday Potluck 2018 - Stuart's Greenhouse
  • Lending Library