Subject: Help - White fuzzy bugs!

From: [email-masked] (Jacquelyn Jackson)
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 20:54:20 GMT

Last year, I bought a condo with a solarium (technically, 
it is a greenhouse because it has single pane glass, roof, 
and side vents) so that I could have the garden I have 
always wanted and still stay in the city.

Last summer, I noticed small white fuzzy bugs on several of my 
tomato plants.  I tried dish soap, and then Safer Soap for garden
veggies with no success.  The bugs spread to every plant (basil,
rosemary, lavender, various flowering plants, bay, eucalyptus, 
schefalaras (sp?) pony tail palms, peppers, thyme, catnip, mint,
and more) except marjoram and chives. I lost nearly everything.

What are they and how do I get rid of them without contaminating
my edible plants with chemicals?  The bugs seemed to slow down 
over the winter, but I am still picking them off from time to
time.  My bay tree (one of the few I didn't lose) seems to still
get them as well as my palms. I did notice over the winter that 
these bugs leave a "sticky" residue on the plants and I found
several fuzzy cocoons over the winter (which I immediately 
destroyed). 

I also noticed that I seem to have an influx of small red and 
black striped bugs (look kinda like beetles, and they hang out
where it is sunny). I have sprayed my greenhouse and killed 
literally thousands of these bugs.  Are they related? If not,
do I have another potential nightmare on my hands?

I would appreciate any help on this as I would like to start
my seedlings within the next two weeks.

Jacq
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 13 Mar 95 23:35:41 -0600

> and more) except marjoram and chives. I lost nearly everything.

Sounds like you may have had a mealy bug or scale infestation.  Easiest
'cure' in a closed environment may be a pyrethin-containing
"flea bomb" , followed by close surveillance and prompt eradication
of any residual critters with a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.
> do I have another potential nightmare on my hands?

Offhand, it sounds like you might have boxelder bugs which
are harmless.  It is, however, nearly impossible to identify
critters over the net with any assurance. 

Best things to do:  
1) submit a sample of any new possible pest species to your
local extension agent or entomology extension for identification
and control recommendations.  Keep a sample of the critter for
yourself, too... so you can compare samples later.  Dry hard
bodied insects like beetles and bugs, and store them dry.  Put
soft-bodied insects in a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

2) Get a book on insect identification.  Your extension office
may have an inexpensive book or pamphlet of common pest species,
or you may want a more general work, like Cynthia Westcott's
books.  My own preference for beginners is the wonderfully
illustrated and easy to use "Insects" volume from the Peterson's
Field Guide series.  Although it does not have pictures of every
garden pest species, you can at least determine if the insect
at hand belongs to a group known to cause trouble.  The "key"
on the front endpapers is very useful and easy.

Kay Klier   [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 15 Mar 1995 12:14:39 GMT

>my seedlings within the next two weeks.

Sound like mealy bugs to me.  Buy a bottle of  80-proof 
grain alcohol.  Dilute with tap water to 10 % alcohol.
(3 parts water to one part grain alcohol)  Spray on the
mealy bugs.  They will shrivel up and die.  Keep on
picking, though.  This will take several treatments
to get through an entire life-cycle.

Chris Owens