Are these soil mealy bugs?

12 years ago

Hi, I found something in my african violet that according to some descriptions looks like mealy bugs. I actually found it on the rocks in the outer pot, in which I place the small pot with soil and plant. There must have been hundred bugs. They seemed to be kind of jumping sometimes. According to some other forum thread, I took the plant out of the pot but in the actual soil I have not seen anything. Not sure if they are hiding or this is some other pest or maybe something that is not so bad at all? the violet seems fine, it does not flower but it never really did. please help, I am against any chemicals so I would just throw the plant away if that's what it is. But still, it is one of my bigger violets and I've had it for ages so don't want to get rid of it if not necessary.

I wanted to post a picture but dont know how to do it.

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Comments (6)

larry_b
12 years ago
Hi elenska,

Are they silver and about 1/16 of an inch long? Are you able to catch one or are they too fast. If you answered yes to the first question and no to the second then I would say that you don't have soil mealies. You probably have springtail larva. Mealy bugs are fat and squishy. They don't jump.

Different people have different opinions about springtails. Some don't think they are a problem except for looks. That's my opinion. Others I have heard say they they eat the roots.

I have had springtails in my cacti and succulents but never in my African violets so I'm not sure what you would want to do. I will leave getting rid of them, if you want to, to someone who has done that before.

Larry
elenska
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Larry! I looked up some pictures of the springtails and it looks more like them. Never tried to catch one... don't think I want to :( But I would think that the jumping should prove that they are not mealies.
Today I actually found more of them in the soil of my little AV seedlings (from leaf), they just sprouted up after quite some time so I was very happy about them and now they are full of these things. At least it really seems that they are not the mealy bugs. I read that it helps to leave the soil dry out between the waterings, but it's not something I would want to do especially with the seedlings. any suggestions?
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One of the ladies in my violet club brought some to show and was covering (dusting it on) the top of all the leaves and bloom of her violets with DE to kill off her thrip problem. She said it was working. (I got a leaf of her Rhapsody in White plant she was using to demonstrate!) Interesting, but for thrips I think I'll just spray with insecticidal soap and neem oil, less messy for me. Actually, I seen some at Lowes a couple months ago and bought a bag while I could still find it, ha. (very inexpensive too for so much). Apparently I should have used it sooner than now, might have helped. I was reading debates on it working wet or not, but I figure I'll use it, on the chance it does work wet. apparantly a little will go a long way. I am going to repot some of the plants before I treat them and will start adding the DE to my soil mix now. After they've all been treated I'll add DE to the top of the soil in all the plants. Thanks for thinking of me. It took a lot of years for me to get here to be growing more than just the half a dozen violet plants I used to have. Now my kids are young adults and I have a lot more time to enjoy my plants and found out about all the wonderful different kinds of violet varieties, I went a little overboard in how many I could grow...which was fine until there is a serious problem like the soil mealy bug. I needed a lot of help deciding what to do and I appreciate the time you took to help and give advice. (The oldest member of my violet clubs advice was to wash the soil off the roots and soak the roots in alcohol...she figured it would kill the foilage ones, it should kill the soil ones...I explained to her about the waxy coating and why it wouldn't kill them...I don't think she believed me...set in her ways. She knows a lot about many other things, but apparently not soil mealy bugs.) Thanks, tish
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larry_b
12 years ago
Hi elenska,

I have heard of doing a Safer Soap wash. That is pour a solution of safer Soap into soil and soak the soil of the plant's pot. I am not sure what strength to use. I can call a violet grower tomorrow, that I know, who would know this information when his store opens.

Larry
larry_b
12 years ago
Hi elenska,

I spoke with Barb at the Violet Showcase and she told me two things to do to get springtails under control. First to let the pots dry out between watering, which you already knew. Also do a Safer Soap drench like I described above. Get the kind that is already mixed up. Do not use concentrated Safer Soap directly.

She also told me that her feeling was that springtails are really not a problem for violets as far as she was concerned. That they are basically esthetically unappealing. She said if they really bother you though to use the Safer Soap remedy.

I hope this helps.

Larry
elenska
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks a lot L! I just repoted the plants and so far it looks ok. I am not going to do anything extra, knowing that the springtails are not going to bother the plants.
tommyr_gw Zone 6
12 years ago
Springtails and soil mites just feed on organic matter in the soil from what I understand. They don't attack the plants.

Are these soil mealy bugs?

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Are these soil mealy bugs?

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