White Fluffy pest on plants - killing them

[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