Does a sharp water spray remove them? Purdue and Arizona State seem to think they may be "some kind of plant hopper". Way long before even thinking of Malathion or anything similar I would try an insecticidal soap.
Integrated Pest Management;
1) Recognize a problem
2) Diagnose the problem
3) Determine what is the least toxic solution available
4) Apply that solution)
5) Review

thanks kimmsr, I have tried to blast them off with water. There are not that many now, so I will keep up this regimen. I was not sure if what the hubby suggested was organic or not. I did make a check after posting my first message only to realise that it is far from organic.

Joy,

Did you EVER find out for sure what these bugs are???? I have something that sounds very similar to what you are discribing. When I go to pick one up, they sorta squish in my fingers and bleed an orangy-red color. They don't exactly look like the pictures of mealy bugs and whooley aphids I have found. They LOVE my viburnum and a 'black and blue' salvia. I finally chopped the salvia down to the ground and sprayed the stems and soil around it with a garlic/soap/oil mixture. So far it is still clean. The viburnum...well, the jury is still out on that one.

I'm real curious as to what you've found out about these nasty little creatures!

Michelle

Some planthoppers exude white wax to hide in and confuse predators. When disturbed they leap off. You might be mistaking the white wax for the bug. Adults are white (at least mine are) and shaped like paper airplanes. The leaping things are immatures, nymphs. In my experience these do little damage and don't require control. The nymphs probably suck some plant fluids.

Upon further researching I think I have finally found the culprit. I believe the little bug plaguing my viburnum is the nasty Cottony Cushion Scale.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html

My bugs look exactly like the ones pictured on website link above.

Shellva

That's exactly what I have. Thanks very much for the link.

Joy

This definitely describes mealy bugs. I've had problems with them on my cacti as well.

An easy solution is to put some plain old rubbing alcohol in a spritz bottle and spray away. Kills the adults. You need to keep a close eye out as the larva are in the soil and climb up, so it needs to be repeated

jill