White Fluffy pest on plants - killing them

[Salad]

Hi, we have lost a plant in our garden which was covered in white fluffy stuff, I knew it was some sort of pest but on closer inspection I cant actually see a bug or anything, just the fluff. After doing some googling I am thinking either Mealy bugs or wooly aphids but I am not 100% sure. It has killed a plant and now spread to another plant and done the same thing, I fear its going to spread through my entire garden.
Does anyone know how to get rid of these pests.

[Epacris]

Spray with pest oil. It has a very low toxicity, it basically smothers the insect so it can't breathe. Are the plants undercover or under a tree? Do they get the rain on their leaves? Tyr to hose the leaves off as often as you can to prevent the mealy bug /scale from coming back. Their infestations are the worst in dry conditions.

[jackrose]

Sounds like something that was destroying my indoor plants.

I can't remember the name of it but mum said she had some on her plants and when she took it down to the local nursery for advice they had a fit and screeched at her to get it out! Apparently it is highly contagious (if you use that word in the plant world!) which would explain the fact that it has moved on to your other plants...

Mum used and recommended for me to use "White oil" which I think is the same as pest oil as mentioned by Epacris. One dose cleared up the problem on my plant and it is looking very happy and healthy!

Hope the same works out for you.

[Salad]

Thanks Epacris they are out in the open not under a tree or anything. I will try the pest oil thanks, fingers crossed it gets the little buggers

[Salad]

Thanks jackrose we posted at the same time.

[Floweryfields]

If it's mealy bug, then metho in water will do the job.

[Epacris]

That's unusual that they're out in the open with such a bad infestation. Usually insects like mealy bug and scale attack when plants are stressed in some way or hygiene is poor (like not getting rain on their leaves). Are there any other things about where they are growing that could be causing stress. Are they generally getting enough water? Are they mulched? That sort of thing.

[Salad]

Thanks Ausgirl I did read that somewhere.

Epacris - The small garden bed is mulched with chip bark, I am sorry I forget the name of the first plant we lost but it was a native, it then spread to a golden diosma next to it, also in the garden are some liriope which I am slowly replacing with marguriete daisies, they are only new in the garden. We have not had to give it alot of water, it mainly just gets rain on it. Oh and there is a lilly pilly in the garden too, and I really hope it doesnt get to them.
We have had a lot of rain recently but the white bug was there before that.

[Epacris]

Oh well, that's unusual then.

I think metho works really well when you just have a few of them and you use a cotton bud to drop it on to individual insects. I would think that metho would damage plant tissue, so for a bad infestation (like you have) a plant specific insecticide is would be the best option.

[didispunk]

We have this on our outdoor plants.. zuccini etc.. I emailed bourks backyard and he said to spary water and 2 TBSP.. of baking powder..

Has fixed ours!

[Salad]

thanks