Those granules are just imidicloprid. Mealybugs are not controlled well with imidicloprid and imidicloprid can increase the chance of spider mite infestations. Plus just using a pesticide as a prophylactic is a bad practice.

You need to identify which specific pests you are struggling with. If it's just mealybugs, then most likely the problem is cultural. Correct the cultural problem and the mealies go away.

I have seen mealy bugs, black aphids, and recently white aphids (or they may be more mealys). What do you mean by “cultural problem?”

Plants are more susceptible to pests when stressed by being grown in an improper culture. Mealybugs are typically a sign of improper culture, like overwatering. Aphids typically go away on their own and are more of a seasonal pest.

Nil, because I know you’re an expert at this, doesn’t Imidaclopred work as a systemic for mealy? I know it isn't a contact insecticide like Talstar so just spraying probably does little good.

Mealies like it dry and warm. A stressed plant may draw in pest but they ain't never ganna leave on there own. Anyways... I'm curious how is the Bayer treatment going? Are your succulents still thriving bug free?

Yes, not a single mealy to be found. No need for repeat treatments either, only for one cactus that picked up thrips outside. I found mealies on a new plant last week, but that one was still in quarantine, and will be treated with a few other recent acquisitions this week. In my garden I don't use any pesticides at all, but with proper precautions, I feel ok using imidacloprid on my succulents.

Dinie is absolutely spot-on and I can not stress this enough either---keep treated plants away from bugs and birds and cats. I've never used Bayer but I occasionally use imidacloprid especially on mesembs which seem to just siphon all manners of pests from other dimensions or something.

In my garden, however, it's a free-for-all. My brussel sprouts were attacked by aphids this spring, before the mantises hatched. So I dug a hole, yanked them all out and buried them. I'm sure there could have been solutions but I wasn't interested lol Now that the mantises have annihilated all the aphids, it's too late for brussel sprouts. Oh well.