What is this?

[azguy]

I have a small Caribbean Red that I was looking over today. What I found was a white cotton like substance on the plant stem. Any ideas of what this could be? Only found it on one plant in the entire garden. Sorry for the bad photo. Thanks

 

[wayright]

And when ya touch it they jump like a grasshopper!!
I always assumed they were a type of aphid???
I get them on alot of stuff in my yard but my sevin dust seems to keep em away from my garden!

Kevin

 

[dvg]

It's a little tricky to make a positive id with that pic, but maybe google mealybug or spittle bug and see if it is one of those two.

Or if you post a clearer pic tomorrow, someone might even chime in with a correct identification and possible treatment for you.

dvg

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Mealy bugs?

 

[smokemaster]

Mealy bugs

http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=mealybugs&search=Search

Bug files-cool site.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

 

[dvg]

Mealy bugs?

Matches the description given.

Now i wanna know what that aphid that jumps like a grasshopper is...

We don't get those up here.

dvg

 

[puma35]

I had the same kind of fuzz around several of my plants, the little guys do jump as soon as you try to poke them, but they're not aphids! Haha, they're leafhoppers! You should still probably kill them though

 

[dvg]

Puma35, those white cottony planthoppers might be the Flatid Planthopper aka Metcalfa pruinosa.

The nymphs are covered by white wooly filaments, which they will lose when they mature.

Here is an image of a planthopper nymph

That image came from this link

azguy, you might have mealy bug destroyers aka Cryptolaemus montrouzieri on your plant.

The larvae form of these ladybugs look like a clump of mealy bugs and they move right in amongst the mealybugs, devouring them just like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

dvg