hey buddy this is mealybug (thatâs the English name).
Those little white, cottony / ribbed blobs are a dead giveaway. They like:
⢠Leaf joints
⢠Undersides of leaves
⢠Soft green growth
They donât fly like gnats and they donât scrape leaves like thrips, they suck sap and weaken the plant slowly.
So first: you didnât misidentify lightly, this one just arrived to the party late.
⸝
About the beneficials you used
Also important to say:
⢠Nematodes â mostly soil/root-zone focused (great for gnats, not for mealybugs on leaves)
⢠Predatory mites â depends on species; many donât target mealybugs
⢠Lacewing larvae â actually do eat mealybugs đ but need time and contact
So nothing you used was âwrongâ, it just wasnât a guaranteed silver bullet for this pest.
⸝
What you can do (options, not orders)
Manual + soft control (very effective early)
⢠Dab visible bugs with cotton swab + water or alcohol
⢠Wipe leaf joints carefully
This alone can knock them back hard if caught early.
Soap & water
A simple insecticidal soap works well:
⢠Mild liquid soap (no perfume)
⢠Water
⢠Spray undersides and joints
Rinse after a few hours if plants are sensitive.
đŤđˇ The old French recipe
That classic one from last century:
⢠Black soap (savon noir) + water
Itâs been used forever for aphids and mealybugs and still works beautifully.
đż Oils
Used gently:
⢠Neem oil
⢠Canola / vegetable oil-based sprays
They suffocate the pest, just donât overdo it and avoid strong light right after.
đ Predators that actually target mealybugs
If you want biological control:
⢠Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (mealybug destroyer ladybird)
⢠Lacewing larvae (again, patience helps here)
⸝
Big picture (important part)
Mealybugs donât mean failure. They usually mean:
⢠Dense growth
⢠Hidden pockets
⢠A little ecosystem imbalance
You caught it early, and thatâs the win.
From here, itâs about choosing the method that fits your style, manual, biological, or gentle sprays. No pressure to go nuclear.
Just my humble grower opinion đą
Youâre doing the right thing by asking and observing.
Growers love my friend and keep us posted đ