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Posted 1M ago by @SpicyShortblack

New plague?

My #WhiteBirdOfParadise has some white things below the leafs.. I went for holidays and when I came back looks like some little plague is leaving this white dots. Any idea of what can it be and how to treat the plant?
5” pot with drainage
Last watered 3 months ago
Not very clear, but might be mealies or aphids. Treat with neem oil, or hose down those MFs 😈
If you have a more in focus photo it would be helpful but I think I’m seeing mealy bugs. Clean with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab to get them off them spray it really well leaves and stems with neem oil. You’re going to need a repeat of neem to get rid of this given the number. Spray neem at night, it degrades under light and won’t be effective. Good luck
Those are no mealies and if they do not fly they are not aphids. It looks like thrips to me. If I’m right you will need to be aggressive with treatments. Systematics usually don’t work many colonies have built up immunities to them. Neem oil can work but since they lay their eggs into the stems and burrow into leaves they are difficult to treat. Treat every three days you need to keep killing them as they hatch. This looks like the larvae stage. Treat every 3 day for 3 weeks possibly even 6 weeks, this is a bad infestation.