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Insect identification help

SuccLoverSuccLover Posts: 2
in Problem solving

I found these weird insects in the root ball of a pinwheel succulent. They were between the plastic pot and the root ball. 

At each insect there was a web type material that could be confused as a mold, and there were multiple bugs in each area. 

I filmed them with my magnifying glass, and uploaded it on youtube hoping someone here might be able to help me I.D. it. 

It's shaped like, and acts like an aphid, the white webbing tricked me into believing it might have been a mealy bug. But I've never seen a mealy bug (or an aphid for that matter) in soil and not on the leaves.

These bugs are only in the root ball, and not on the plant stalk or leaves, and not on top of the root ball either. Only on the inside of the container, against the plastic pot.

Any help would be appreciated :)

Here's a link to the video I took last night, https://youtu.be/2OE9QAvAy60

Last edited: 12 April 2017 03:20:10

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Hi succlover, those are root aphids or possibly mealybugs.  If these are indoor plants, you could use a systemic pesticide like Provado whch will be taken into the roots.  There are over 500 types of aphid in the UK so don't be surprised if you can't find exact matching photo's when you google them!

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • SuccLoverSuccLover Posts: 2

    Thanks Bob! I have never heard of root aphids before. 

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