HELP EVIL BUGS

[Michelle]

I have evil bugs They look a lot like silverfish only completely white and a few more legs They totally veracious they are devouring my philodendron they seem to be leaving white kind of powdery substance on the leaves I am very attached to this plant I saved it from a heinous death at the hands of the home depot sale rack it was pretty much dead and they actually gave it to me saying they didn't know why I'd bother since then it has become a beautiful plant and these bugs are like a personal affront to my effort to save it only to be eaten alive arrrgue what can I do are my other plants in danger? this one was not too close to the other plants. HELLLLLLPPPPPP! Regards Michelle

[Ricky]

Try washing the plant with an insecticide soap mixed with garlic. Repeat every 10 days and see if that helps. When you wash the plant make sure you use enough force to wash the visible bugs off the leaves.

[Salty Thumb]

Michelle wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Call Tom Ridge. Maybe he can get you a cruise missle.

[Michelle]

[zhanataya]

The best defense against spider mites is Ivory dish liquid, water and alcohol in a spray bottle. The house plants small enough put in the bathtub ans shower them. If you happen to be growing any ivy you should do it on a weekly basis.

Ivory dish liquid because it smells the best.

zhan

[barrett]

The evil bugs you 1st described could not have been spider mites because they are the size of a speck of dust and cannot be seen on the plant itself. However, if you take a white piece of paper and shake a leaf over top you will see them moving. It appears your philodendron had mealybugs.

[Frogleg]

I couldn't help thinking the subject line was a plea for some bug-rescue operation.

[Michelle]

Are mealy bugs larger but simular in the way they appear at first ? these appeared small at first and then seemed to get fairly large With my imparement (Visual) I did not notice them at first I the plant had suffered a lot before I noticed It was in an out of the way place where I would have a hard time seeing it without taking it down it was in a deep window behind my piano. I saw it had bugs and took it out side and calle a friend who was good with plants and who I had recently given a palm and he said that it had spider mites and he didn'twant to bother with it so he got rid of it He said there was probably no way I'd have noticed that they were there because they were hardly noticable Do the bugs start out looking the same? white and cottony and then the mealy bugs get bigger does any one know a good web site where I can learn more or perhaps a good book? well so far so good any way I haven't seen any of the nasties on any other plants ANd I have had a well sighted person check michelle Thanks so much for all the good advice and help

[Michelle]

I suppose I can see that I do try to respect everything God created but It is Damn hard to think these darn things have a purpose or deserve any respect

[barrett]

I can't remember the stages of development for a mealybug(a type of scale) but yes they will start out smaller at the begining of there adult stage. If you squash one they're red on the inside. Spider mites are too small to be seen on the plant but you can sometimes see there webs. You could have had both insects on your plant.