photo 2/2

Maybe spray with mild soap and water, but I never treat mine here, and they eventually go away without any harm to the bamboo.

Kt

Spinosad, 1 per week (it only affects adult stage). Use a "sticker" or some dish soap too. I'll usually work in some Neem oil as well.

This post was edited by kevlar68 on Sun, Jul 7, 13 at 21:05

@kentuck
don't you have problems with that honeydew growing sooty mold? Makes my AK unattractive if it gets to that stage...(P.S. I do use Bayer Tree & Shrub and that has helped A LOT, but seems like ...bill wanted something organic and topical.)

This post was edited by kevlar68 on Sun, Jul 7, 13 at 21:27

The photo is one of my 5 rows of bamboo. This row has 4 bambusas, vulgaris, sea-breeze, asian lemon, and cungii. You can not see the chungii (further down) and the vulgaris (behind).

I have the aphids with the honeydew and the sooty mold too, but that doesnt seem to affect the growth. I would like to find something topical to use, not necessarily organic. I do not want a ground treatment because of the amount of rain we get this time of the year.
So, from what you guys are making me think is that these buggers are easy to kill, and not resistant to things such as bifenthrin (ortho). The surfactant I use is jet dry dishwasher stuff. Since I already have concentrated bifenthrin I can use this and not Spinosad.
Also, you guys are also saying that if I do nothing, this type of mealybug will not stun the bamboo.

Last question on this. I have lots of black shinny wasps around the bamboo. Are they feeding on the honeydew, aphids, or the mealybugs?

Yes, I get the sooty mold on my AK, but it never lasts long since fireants carry it away and leave the bamboo clean.

Bill, the shiny wasps are apparently eating something but they are not harming the bamboo. I have them too. Nice hedgerow.

Kt