How to Control Mealybugs on Indoor Plants

Last Updated: May 31, 2021 Approved

If you enjoy live plants from the comfort of inside, you may want to learn how to control mealybugs on indoor plants. Mealybugs are sap-drinking insects that can cause a great deal of damage in a short amount of time. They produce honeydew, which attracts ants and encourages the growth of fungus called black mold. Mealybugs are found in almost all growing regions on the globe. Controlling mealybugs on your indoor plants is a very important step in maintaining plant health. Mealybug infestation can occur rapidly and increase exponentially, causing a prize indoor plant to do poorly or even die.

Steps

1
Check any new houseplants carefully for mealybug infestation before bringing anything home.^{[1]
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2
Control mealybugs on indoor plants by avoiding over-fertilization of plants. Mealybugs thrive in a nitrogen-rich soil, so be careful that you only feed your plants when necessary.^{[2]
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3
Remove mealybugs with a cloth or paper towel, making sure that you squish them instead of just displacing them. Immediately wash out rags. If you are using paper towels, place used towels in a plastic sack and discard.
- Remember to look for eggs sacks and remove those as well. The egg sacks will look like small cotton balls attached to the plant.
4
Dab the mealybugs with a cotton ball swab soaked in rubbing alcohol to dry the insects out.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
Missouri Botanical Garden
Oldest botanical garden in the U.S. and center for botanical research and science education
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5
Wash the plant with a gentle detergent and water to help control mealybugs.^{[4]
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6
Spray the indoor plant with an oil spray or soap spray. These sprays will suffocate or dry out the mealybugs and kill them.^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source
Missouri Botanical Garden
Oldest botanical garden in the U.S. and center for botanical research and science education
Go to source} However, it is very difficult to get the egg sacks and crawlies that have gone into places where the spray cannot reach.
- Spray a mealybug-specific pesticide onto the plant to get immediate results on mealybug control. Pesticide sprays, however, are only a short-term solution for mealybug control and should not be used as the only method of controlling the infestation.
7
Discard the indoor plant if it is heavily infested with the mealybugs. Sometimes it may be virtually impossible to get a mealybug infestation under control, and the best course of action may be to replace the plant with one that is not infected.

Community Q&A

Question

I used most of the methods listed above and it hasn't worked. What should I do?

Community Answer

Mix Dawn soap and alcohol in a spray bottle and spray down the plant and the top of the soil. Let it dry, and do it again. Again let it dry and then spray the residue off with very warm water. Keep an eye on the plant for new mealybugs and repeat.
Question

Should you discard the soil after removing plant infested with mealybugs?

Community Answer

You could try placing the dirt under black garbage bags in a sunny location for about 2 weeks.
Question

I transferred the plant out of its plastic pot but plan to transfer it back to bring it indoors for the winter. Will the mealybugs be able to live in the plastic pot without the plant?

Community Answer

Just replant it in a pot to bring it indoors. It may require a bigger pot though if it has grown in the ground for a while.
Question

My big indoor ficus has scale that I treated. Half of the leaves are gone. There is some wrinkled bark on some major branches. Are these branches succumbing to scale and should I cut them off?

MforMazhar

Community Answer

Ficus is not so delicate. Make sure you add proper nutrients to the soil and do not let the soil become too soggy. Ficus are generally pruned like any other plant. Since we do not know the exact severity of the scale, we can't answer with certainty how it would work on your indoor ficus. However, pruning branches, in general, is better as it triggers new shoots. Ensure that the scales don't spread to other areas if fallen leaves come in contact with the other leaves or branches.