Are These MealyBugs?

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Here’s a young beech forest:

The underside of the leaves have a white sticky stuff on them. My research seems to indicate MealyBugs. Would you agree? If so, best remedy options? A quick google search suggested a diluted form of rubbing alcohol and using a cotton swab to clean the infected area.

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[shinmai]

Sure looks like it to me. I get them in the branch crotches on some azaleas and I have a starflower that draws them like a magnet.
The alcohol treatment works well, and you can put the solution in a spray bottle and use it at one-week intervals to kill any eggs left behind. Insecticidal soap works too.
But personally, maybe I’m just getting nasty in my old age, but I more and more often get out a spray bottle of Sevin for most pests. It’s my horticultural equivalent of, “Say hello to my little friend!”.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Looks like white fly to me.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Yep, you hit the jackpot, some white fly, and some mealy bug, treat with what ever you are comfortable using. I prefer going full nuclear, something truly toxic. Sevin - you need to read the label, if it doesn't list mealy bug and white fly, it will just piss them off, they will breed faster. (partly joking) The old line organophosphates like Malathion will work, as will neo nics, like imadiproclid which is, or was in Bayer and in Bonide products. The Alcohol will work, but you must spray surface and underside of every leaf, and repeat every 4 or 5 days if weather is in the 80's F. Alcohol will require 3 or more applications to really kill off the pests. Pyrethrum based products tend to be pretty weak due to many insects having built some resistance.

Hummert is based in Saint Louis, they have a full line of pesticides, you could probably order and just pick up at the warehouse, saving on shipping if you can't find something in your local full line nursery. Just browse through their website, they have the full labels on line.

Key - read the labels. The label must list the pest you are trying to kill. If it doesn't list it, don't use it.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I treat my beeches with neem oil emulsion. It seems to work wonders against most - but not all - aphids.
Not sure about white fly though, but my beeches look like yours every year and after treatment (once a week for 3 weeks) they usually stay pest free for the rest of the year.

 

[0soyoung]

I treat my beeches with neem oil emulsion. It seems to work wonders against most - but not all - aphids.
Not sure about white fly though, but my beeches look like yours every year and after treatment (once a week for 3 weeks) they usually stay pest free for the rest of the year.

Very effective against white fly in my experience.
Also effective to all scale I've encountered.
I usually just use my thumb and forefinger on aphids, sometimes just jet them off with the garden hose, but NEEM is my nuclear option.

 

[Housguy]

There is also white fly sticky paper that you can hang near the infestation, may help along with your other treatments.

 

[JoeH]

yeah go with Sevin, I have some hibiscus at work that I am fighting mealybugs on and Soap kinda worked but I had to nuke them with the Sevin to really knock them out.

 

[Meh]

I agree it looks like mealybugs. I brush them off manually then use neem weekly until all clear. Have also used insecticidal soap but neem is my favorite.