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Identifying mealybugs on Echeveria
White, cottony masses tucked between the tightly overlapping leaves of the rosette, where they're easily hidden by the plant's natural growth pattern.
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Life cycle
Females lay 300–600 eggs in cottony masses. Spread by crawlers and on contaminated tools.
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Damage to Echeveria
Mealybugs sap-suck between the leaf bases, causing soft, discoloured patches at the point where leaves meet, weakening the rosette's structure.
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How to treat mealybugs on Echeveria
Dab visible mealybugs with a cotton bud soaked in rubbing alcohol, working carefully between the overlapping leaves without disturbing the waxy coating too much. Repeat every 7–10 days.
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Preventing mealybugs on Echeveria
Check between the leaf bases periodically, especially on mature, densely-leaved rosettes, and quarantine new plants before placing them nearby.