White Fuzzy Things on Jade Plant

Question

I brought a strange plant into the house and after a short time it had little white fuzzy spots that I suspect were bugs. Next thing my 15 year old Jade plant has them at the base of almost every leaf. I threw the offending plant out, don’t know what it was, and isolated the Jade but don’t know what to do with it to kill these bugs since I don’t know what they are. Can you help?

Answer 1

It sounds like mealybugs. Mealybugs will commonly leave a white residue on plant’s leaves that resemble cotton. You will find this residue mostly on the stems and leaves. This residue is either the egg sacs of the mealybugs or the pests themselves. You may also find that the plant has a sticky residue on it. This is secreted by the mealybugs, which look like small, flat oval white spots on plant leaves. They are also fuzzy or powdery looking. Scrape away any white residue and spots on plants leaves. Then, using a solution of 1 part alcohol to 1 part water with some dish soap mixed in, wash down the entire plant. Let the plant sit for a few days and repeat the process. Another mealybug home pest control is to apply neem oil to the plant. Here is more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/mealybugs-white-residue-on-plants-leaves.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/pests/neem-oil-uses.htm