I've been transplanting some of the lithops to get rid of bugs on tuesday. Not only there were mealy bugs but also a lot of tiny grey stripy ones (don't know what exactly they're called).
I've seen the damage they do to cacti before. With lithops it's probably not as dramatic because the bitemarks will go away next year if the plants survive until then, but it sure isn't pretty. It was the worst for the little seedlings of lesliei ssp. lesliei v. minor C006. On others only the body was affected, not the top. The lesliei have the marks everywhere except where the old dried out leaves were.
Well, now that they were washed and bug sprayed, there's nothing more to do at the moment but wait. Tomorrow the new square pots should arrive so that other older plants can be checked, sprayed and transplanted. Some do look like something's nibbling on their roots. 
From the sound of it the tiny striped ones might have been thrips. The damage looks like it, too.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I didn't know they attacked succulents.
yes! thanks! :) they look like them only really tiny. quite agile, too. i have hope for these kids though - they responded to water immediately and are firm now. the lil'thrips caused a growth-stop for a couple of months in summer, it's a pity. i had hoped they'd grow more..
ReplyDeleteHi, I know this is an old post, but I'm freaking out and I don't know what to do. I noticed a few really tiny white bugs on my 2 months old lithops seedlings. I don't know what they are and if they are hurting them or not. Do you think they could be mealy bugs? My seedlings are too small to replant, what spray did you use, and did it affect your seedlings in any way?
ReplyDeleteHi Dana,
DeleteSorry to hear about your bug problem. I understand that transplanting is not an option with such small seedlings. I would not recommend spraying them though. Maybe in your lical store (or Internet) there will be tabs you can solve in water? Those are better as in my experience spraying (cold shock) destroys plants quicker than bugs... I use tabs but so far only transplanting had an effect...Use tabs, and then wait until the seedlings regenerate for the first time and transplant them. Sorry that I can't recommend anything better..
Hi Rika, I've done some digging, it seems that diatomaceous earth is a good option, I've even seen people mix it with the soil when they plant lithops. I really hope it will work. I don't normally like to kill insects, but I feel that my little guys are threatened! I'll look for tabs too, thanks for the suggestion! I'll try them next if DE doesn't help.
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