) on sin in my greenhouse:Does anyone have an idea for a biological solution to get rid of mealybugs? I don't know if ants raise them like aphids...it's possible because when you crush them there is also a kind of fatty juice...
I found this old thread but nothing worked: gardening/are-fed-up-with-cochineals-which-sustainable-solution-t11194.html and the techniques may have evolved since 2011? Because at the time, only mechanical elimination worked with mealybugs but you have to do it all the time...no thank you!
I had hoped that I was rid of it because I did a severe pruning this winter...
Aphids are eaten by ladybirds, but mealybugs? By what ? Ah apparently ladybugs would also work against mealybugs? https://www.gammvert.fr/conseils/consei ... ochenilles
The predators
Ladybugs are great predators, especially mealybugs. Their advantage is that all stages of the cochineal are targeted. The species used: Chilocorus renipustulatus, Chilocorus nigritus (against scale insects with shield and shell), Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, Exochomus quadripustulatus (against pulvinary scale insects), Rodolia cardinalis (against Australian scale insect), Lindorus Lophantae (against mealybugs, with shield, with shell) ...
Lacewings feed on many small, soft-bodied insects.
The rove beetles: living in the ground, Dalotia coriaria feeds on many invertebrates found there, and therefore on some species of scale insects which attack the roots.
Thrips, in particular Franklinothrips vespiformis: usually feeding on other thrips, it can consume other pests such as mealybugs.
