"La Puce" wrote in message
oups.com...

John McMillan wrote:
Cactus growers use it to treat mealy bug and root mealies, both of
which are a severe problem.

Sad it may be but we just can't have it all. On one hand you have
monoculture and the use of chemicals which kills off natural predators,
or grow a diversity of plants which would attract predators to kill the
mealy bugs. We have choices but the logic here is quite clear. Don't
you think?

So far as I know it is not very effective against mealy bug, but then with
nothing else eating them in the uk something is better than nothing! (I
still prefer using a toothbrush to squash them), and I forgot to mention
root aphid/mealybug which it totally got rid of, so it very effective at
that, the reduction of white fly has made life in the conservatory easier,
and yes I do still use it in there despite the bee problem.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea