I use Bayer's Tree & Shrub for mealies. They're hideous critters and, once you have them, you will never, ever be rid of them! And don't kid yourself - you very well may have them in other plants. When young, they're barely discernable, and since they live in the soil as well as on the foliage, unless you unpot everyhing, you don't know you have them until they've done damage. Sorry to be such a bummer...

Your soap regimine should work if you're meticulous. Good luck!

Denise in Omaha

Mealy bugs and root mealy bugs are not the same, the former inhabits the plant and the upper soil layer as you describe. Root mealies do not leave the soil (except when they move to another plant of course).

So no, I don't think you need to repeatedly examine the whole root ball, treating the plant and uppermost soil should be enough. It is usually possible to get rid of them except if they are well established, if so it is often easier to throw away the plant. I have had 2 severe invasions in the past, but now I see less than 5 individuals each year (but they die quickly). (These are not from old colonies but are "immigrants" from new plants etc.)

You should check your other plants over the next weeks (and preferably spray them just in case), the young mealy bugs are almost invisible to the naked eye and move surprisingly fast, so they could have migrated even if you did not see anything the first time.

I did uproot my other cacti & succulents, and checked them over a few days ago, but didn't see anything. I will keep checking them, just to be sure.

I will go out this weekend to see if I can find Bayer's Tree and Shrub, but for now I'll continue to spray the soap water mix. Will it hurt my plants if I spray with either the Tree and Shrub mix or the soapy water if they don't have the bugs? Also, I have an aloe, will either of those hurt the aloe?

I'm glad that I wont have to pull up the cactus every second day, I was afraid that would damage it even more.

I'm hoping that with persistence, these buggers will leave my little cactus alone. At what stage of life do the bugs lay eggs, like can you see them at that point? Hopefully I'll have killed them at a young enough age (assuming that there were some eggs) so that they don't lay more.

Thanks for the very informative responses!

Once you have them I have found it best to spray with Malathion and supplement that with a systemic insecticide . If you spray malathion don't spray crassula's , and take measures to make sure you don't inhale it !. . Systemic only for those Crassula's.. It will be an ongoing battle ...just have to keep on it .You can pick them off individuallywith a q-tip and alcohol , but I doubt you will get them all .I take a radical approach .Actually not sure if you can get malathion now ...but there are other alternatives you can spray .

Yes, you can see them when they are big enough to lay eggs. You can see the eggs too, they are hidden in the tufts of cotton-like wool that you can find here and there on an infested plant. (Drop some alcohol on these, then remove them)