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Mealybugs on Indoor Palms: Safe for Humans, Treat Plants

Insecticidal Soap First, Then Pyrethrum/Rotenone

Mealybugs don’t harm people. Spray with insecticidal soap (3 tsp lemon dish soap/gal) every 3 days. If persistent, use pyrethrum or rotenone. Last resort: submerge pot in tepid water (cover soil). Dry soil before watering again.

Pests: Tiny Brown Bugs in Kitchen Cupboard: Booklice (Psocids); Soil Mealybugs in Nursery: Rotate Stock, Systemic Treatment; Tiny White Bugs in Clothes: Not Spider Mites; Mealybugs: Repot, Treat Systemically, and Check Neighbors; Soil Bugs in Venus Flytrap Pots: Identification and Control; Mealybug Eradication on Mature Jade Plant; Mealybug Infestation on Peace Lily: Identification and Non-Chemical Control; Persistent Mealybugs on Hoya: Thorough Spraying Technique; Best Low-Light Indoor Palms for 6-8 Feet; Persistent Mealybug Infestation on Pygmy Date Palms: Proper Horticultural Oil Technique

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