Mealy bugs. Use a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol to zap them, or simply wipe away on a tissue etc. Check all over for others, they hide away all over the place.

And under the pot / saucer.

Also, I read in here to keep it out of direct or strong light. While its being treated and for a few weeks after the treatment has been washed off. Something like that. I'll see if I can find it and copy/paste into this thread.

If it works this is the link.....

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5274650/help-used-neem-oil-to-treat-succulents-they-seem-to-be-dying-now

And the bit about keeping out of the light....

methodically as Rina mentions, then 3-4 applications of the right pesticide (alcohol or whatever) is typically enough to completely wipe out infestations.

2 Likes Save Thanked by Yulia (PNW, zone 8)

Pagan(7)

Yesterday at 3:39AM

I can not stress enough how plants MUST be out of any light for at least a week after spraying with neem. I have used it even on mesembs but they were kept in a dark room away from windows and under a table afterwards. If you feel you must spray again, wait 7 days (this is how I space my applications, sometimes I do three because I'm paranoid). That's a total of 3 weeks that they are in deep shade.

After the treatment, I flush the plants with water just because it makes me feel better when I reintroduce them to light. THen, here's the annoying part--I dab them with tissue paper to wick the water out of the rosettes, especially the center.

Kevin is right about eggs. You can try commercially available predator mites or bacteria but they are tricky to use.

Also, there are plants, especially the kind with powdery stuff on them whose name I can't remember before my morning coffee, that should not be treated with neem. Most thin-leaved succulents (that are really barely succulent), I also would not neem, like aeoniums and certain crassulas.

Major cool points to you for trying neem first though, Yulia.

That's not to say don't ever ever use chemical pesticides---sometimes they're the only options left. Just be careful with yourself, your plants and all the other creatures around that you don't want to maim or kill with such poisons. Being a coward about such things, I usually just throw my infested plants away first--in a bag, after soaking in soapy water for days lol I've had one adenium survive this pre-garbage treatment before. African violets, not so much. So I quit African violets. Too annoying.