NN, Not lack of ventilation. It is on a raised (11ft off the ground)covered porch, open on three sides facing south wind. Today, 25MPH winds. LOL. Bird feeder is clanging away. Blown dust, silt, etc. that then got moist might have created the situation. Tinactin EH. That is an interesting option. I do have some.I was thinking about changing dirt and going with mostly pumice this time. I think the dirt is 4 yrs old. It is a combination dish garden Crenda, your spots do look like they have eaten into the surface. Mine are on top. I did get my coffee and soap and water and peroxides and I washed the plant and with gentle rubbing , most came off. I think I might tinactin the crevices. NN, did you then wash it off after awhile? Here is the whole pot in younger cleaner days.

Nil 13, I have heard that one can use Forbid, Avid, and liquid Sevin on Ale mite.Then one can cut out the gall. The plant can live with the gall, unsightly as it is, and spreading its vermin to all aloes and some other species too. I discovered what looked like it on an Alionopsis malherbei. I threw my plant out immediately on discovery. The plant was growing and blooming nicely. Shame. Up to that point , I was aloe mite free. I do not see it anywhere, but that does not mean it is not here. It is the agave Mite that is really getting my goat and making me more worried.. In texas, we are behind you in the "new" succulent bugs. Agave bore is just making an appearance, Both Agave mite and Agave bore are being spread through thew trade. The nurseries here are being hit hard by the stock that comes from California and Arizona. It makes growing from seed so much more attractive, but god the time it takes to get a good sized plant. I am bearing down on my 6th decade. Nil, every time I see the MT Washington by your name I think of New Hampshire and one of my most favorite mountains, and I am confused when you talk of Californian plant problems. I guess there is another one in LA. Washington does seems to get around.

Thank you very much for the reply. It's definitely appreciated. Do you happen to know of any sort of organic sprays that I could put on the plants to prevent aphids from returning once I've pinched 'em all away? I think I might try spraying them off into a ditch or something because finding them all and pinching every one of them might be a bit too tedious for my likes. Thank you again.

Nik you're so right, there are black aphids! And on my plants!!!! I haven't checked my other plants, but I did notice a few on a tiny Echeveria that I've just beheaded. And the parent plants of the leaves and cuttings are out with my other succulents, groan. I didn't even get a chance to photograph the ones on the Echeveria, let alone check the other plants before I left for the week. Oh well it'll give me time to do a decent search in here. I've already done some with varying opinions in here and on the Web. This time I'll take notes and hopefully have a plan of action. Thankyou So much!