Are Mealy bugs destroying your garden? Here is what to do to get rid of them
If you are familiar with mealy bugs at all, you already know that they can be a troublesome pest deal with. The truth of the matter, however, is that the more information you have on them, the better off you are going to be when it comes to getting rid of them! Take a look and make sure that you know what you need to know about these pests. 
Mealy bugs are all part of the insect family Pseudococcidae, which are a family of unarmored, scaled insects that are most common in warm and moist climates. They feed on plant sap, whether in the roots or in other crevices, and they essentially do this through first attaching themselves to the plant and then secreting a sticky layer of wax that will protect them until they are done.They are easily recognizable thanks to the white wax that they exude when they are feeding from your plants. This can often make them look as though they have been rolled in flour. At first glance, this garden pest may look a little fluffy because of the way the wax pulls and contorts. If you have an infestation of these garden pests, there is a good chance the stems and the roots of the plant in question look quite white. The Males are short lived and do no feed at all as adults. Instead, they exist only to fertilized the females. The female are the ones that you will see causing harm to your garden. There are several species of these garden pests that might infest your garden What damage do insects cause? When you are looking at these bugs, you will find that they can cause a whole host of problems through their sap sucking activities. For instance, when there are enough of them, they can cause issues like leaf yellowing, leaf curling or leaf dropping. One of the big problems that comes along with infestation is the fact that they are often not noticeable until it is too late. If the infestation is mild enough, there will be no significant harm done. How can natural pest control eliminate these garden pests from my plants? In the first place, you will find these insects are hard to get rid of using pesticides; they nest in very small crevices and leaf folds where pesticides cannot reach them. The first step is to look into good plant management. Inspect all the plants that you purchase by looking under leaves and in the new leaf folds. When you see some, remove that portion from the plant and make sure that you clean the pots thoroughly. Don't let the cuttings stay in the garden, but instead remove them. If you have a bad infestation, you can rinse them away with water, but to get the best results, rub them away with a cloth. If you are looking for a good natural solution, consider bringing in the ladybeetle, which devours mealy bugs at all stages in life.
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