Begonias & Mealybugs

Begonia Care

• Proper care of begonias can help plants better withstand pests. Plants need regular watering, but the leaves should be kept dry. Begonias thrive in filtered sun to shady areas of the garden and many varieties tolerate full shade. They require a light feeding with a balanced fertilizer once a month. Give plants a rich, moist soil that is slightly acidic -- with a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0. Plants grow between 6 to 30 inches tall and bear blooms in shades of pink, white, yellow, apricot, orange and red.

Mealybugs

• Mealybugs are common pests of begonias. Adult female mealybugs are soft-bodied, gray insects. They have oval-shaped bodies with overlapping segments that often have wax filaments radiating from their bodies. The pests move slowly and are covered with a cottony wax. Mealybugs suck plant juices and secret honeydew, which can lead to sooty mold. They target a wide range of plants in warm climates.

Mealybug Damage on Begonias

• Mealybugs are found massed together in white clumps on begonia roots, lower leaf surfaces and between leaf axils where they feed on plant juices. Mealybugs cause stunted plant growth and can lead to begonia death. With large infestations, honeydew and sooty mold is also common and the primary cause of damage by these pests. Sooty mold is a fungal disease that blocks sunlight from plant leaves, causing them to turn yellow and drop prematurely.

Control of Mealybugs

• Different measures exist to help control mealybugs, as insecticides do not work well to control them. Introducing predatory insects, such as lacewings, lady beetles and predatory wasps can help. Other methods include the use of insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils and a blast of water from a hose to rinse the pests off leaves. When sooty mold is present, ant populations need to be controlled because they foster mealybugs.