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

Irina, I responded to your last post, accidently hit a button, and lost the entire page. Sheesh. I keep saying vinegar when I mean Rubbing Alcohol. Vinegar was stated numerous times. AGE!!! I've sprayed and swiped with alcohol. Rubbing Alcohol. 91%. Last night, we went to Walgreen's...remember RA was about .79 a bottle? The least expensive, Walgreen's brand is now 2.99.. Anyway, I did NOT use vinegar for mealy..lol. I'll have to check HD for Bayer's Tree & Lawn. 'no nearby Lowes.' What's the difference between concentrate and ??? Irina, we don't use chemicals, so when it comes to none-organic products, I'm clueless. What exactly is Bayer's Tree & Lawn used for? What does it do? Before purchasing, I'll have to read all ingredients. With birds, dogs and an iguana, we must be extra careful. A loud noise startles birds, next thing they're off and flying, sometimes landing on plants..Our little dog, Coco, finds everything interesting, and iguanas LOVE plants. Especially munching leaves. How do you determine dossage using Bayer's on indoor plants? Also, this spring I'm repotting or refreshing soils/mediums in all plants. I started this project about a month ago. If I decide to use Bayer's, it's best I wait until plants are potted in their new homes. Irina, I have Peat Pellets/Pots, and a little seedling green house with dome and vents..Includes heating pad. Four of the violet leaves rooted. They're small, too tiny to set in pots. Do you think my violets had soil or foliar Mealy? When violets were unpotted, I didn't see pests. However, violets that once had a healthy root were gone, like something devoured them. Mealy was on foliage. It was this forum I learned of soil mealy. Before reading threads here on African Violet Forum, I didn't know soil mealy existed. Irina, I soak plants in winter out of love. lol. It's a lot of work, but afterwards, tropicals look like they just came from Fl. Succulents are only soaked once during winter. It's relaxing, and IMO, plants enjoy it. It might not be something that needs to be done, but I feel better after their bath and shower. Thanks for the prayers..We can all use them. You'll be in mine, too.. Thanks again for all your help, Irina. I swear, you're a Saintpaulia encyclopedia..lol. hugs, Toni

MITES: Mites are the most dreaded of the African violet pests because of the damage they cause and the difficulty (and expense) of eradicating them. Mites are tiny arachnids, measuring about 1/100 of an inch. Most people need a jeweler's loupe to see them. The damage is usually in the center, or crown, of the plant. You may notice the crown is deformed, hairy or tight. Mites produce a toxin that causes the leaves to curl, twist and become stunted. Too much light or too much fertilizer can also cause similar symptoms. To kill the mites, you must treat the plants with a miticide such as Avid, Pylon or Kelthane (Dicofol). Cape Cod Violetry and Grower Supply sell these products. Other treatments such as Neem oil may control mites but will not kill them. Some growers choose to throw out plants with mites rather than to treat because of the difficulty and expense involved. MEALY BUGS: These white insects are visible to the naked eye and are about 1/8 to 1/16 of an inch. They may look like specks of cotton on the leaves or leaf axils. Mealy bugs may also be found in the soil, where they will look like grains of rice. The symptoms are generally a plant that fails to bloom, grow and is just suffering overall. Treat with Malathion or Marathon. Marathon is available from Cape Cod Violetry or Grower Supply. Other treatments such as dipping a cotton swab in alcohol will control the problem, but not rid the plant of the insects. THRIPS: These insects are about 1/50 of an inch. You can see them with the naked eye, although a jeweler's loupe may help. Thrips are most often found in the flowers. Gently blowing on the blossom may make them more visible. A classic symptom is yellow pollen spilled on the flowers. The first step in eradicating thrips is to disbud the plant. This means removing all flowers and flower stalks. It deprives the thrips of their favorite food. After disbudding, treat with Neem Oil, Malathion, Marathon, Avid or Conserve. Keep disbudding for at least six weeks. Join us on the African Violets forum.

Any symptoms in your plants that have these bugs? Like pale or wilting leaves, not flowering or very slow growth? If not, hopefully that means it isn't soil mealies. Have you tried using a magnifying glass to look at them? Irina or others, correct me if I am wrong but don't mites spend their time in the plant and not in the soil? I wouldn't think to see them crawling around in the saucer, dry or not. Springtails, perhaps? (Which are pretty harmless.) Doctor Optimara page that may be helpful