Curative Control

Plants in pest control

1. Chili

Other solutions

1. Rubbing alcohol dipped in cotton swab can kill visible mealybugs. Alcohol dissolves the wax around the insects and their eggs and kills them. However, this control measure is not adequate when infestation is high and the area is big (Olkowski; Daar; Olkowski, 1991: p. 383).
2. Soap spray
3. Orange peel spray or any peel from citrus fruits (Golden Harvests Organics, 2003).
   To prepare: Pour 2 cups of boiling water on the peel of 1 orange. Let it stand for a day. Strain, add few drops of soap, and spray to infested plant parts.

Physical methods

1. Spray a steady stream of water (reasonably high pressure) on the host plant to knock-off mealybugs. Once on the ground, the fallen ones will be available to ground predators and this will also make their return to the plant difficult (Ellis; Bradley, 1996: p. 433). Wetting mealybugs encourages fungal pathogens that may infest on them (Tenbrink; Hara, 1993).
2. Handpicking
   Rub or handpick mealybugs from affected plants to reduce populations. They release chemicals that signal others to drop and leave.
3. Pruning
   Prune affected plant parts to remove mealybugs. Remove and destroy heavily infested plant. This will cut down sites and reduce future populations.