Can mealybugs survive in potting medium in a sealed bag?

[msarro]

Basically the title. I still consider myself a beginner (been growing only for about a year).

I recently purchased new media from an online retailer. I casually repotted about 4 plants into the media without thinking about it.

However yesterday I noticed that one of the plants I had repotted had small white spots all over the place. Another one of the plants, I found a piece of bark filled with white... blobs. They appear to have come off simply from the impact of going into the trashcan, or else I would post a photo. I know that young mealybugs are windborne based on the info I found.

I am now monitoring those other plants I repotted to see if more little spots appear.

What I'm not sure of is if it is actually a bug, or if it could potentially be bits of sphagnum moss. (Don't laugh!) The white spots don't appear to be moving which I assume juvenile mealybugs would do.

I have a small digital microscope coming today to hopefully get some better photos. But what i'm seeing looks very similar to the juveniles in this photo:



In the meantime, I was curious - if the lifecycle of mealybugs is 2-3 weeks long, would they be able to survive in a bag of media if I seal it? Or would they die off?

Is it still safe to use the potting media if I cook it with either boiling water, or by putting it into an oven?

[estación seca]

Wait until you can look at them with the microscope. Mealybug eggs are viable for at least 2 years. But it's unlikely you would have mealybugs from the medium all over your plants within a day or two.

[rbarata]

I would throw away that medium.

[msarro]

Originally Posted by rbarata

I would throw away that medium.

That is definitely a possibility. I am going to take a closer look at what I'm seeing when my new microscope arrives since i'm not 100% convinced it isn't just bits of sphagnum moss.

I'm also soaking some of the media in boiling water now (I put it into a bowl, poured over a ton of boiling water, and sealed it up with plastic wrap). Once it is cool I'll see what it looks like. From what I've been able to find, mealybugs can be killed by a 20m soak in water over 49C/125F.

---------- Post added at 12:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 PM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

Wait until you can look at them with the microscope. Mealybug eggs are viable for at least 2 years. But it's unlikely you would have mealybugs from the medium all over your plants within a day or two.

That's good info to have. I'll see what shows up once that microscope arrives before doing anything else.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I am seeing white oval objects with threadlike appendages in that photo.

That's a mealybug for sure. I think different from a juvenile scale insect which is the only other thing that might look like that.

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

I am seeing white oval ojectswith threadlike appendages in that photo.

That's a mealybug for sure. I think different from a juvenile scale insect which is the only other thing that might look like that.

Agree! I'm almost sure it's mealybugs looking at the photo.

[BobcatJohnson]

Originally Posted by msarro

I have a small digital microscope coming today to hopefully get some better photos. But what i'm seeing looks very similar to the juveniles in this photo:

I believe the OP is saying that this photo is a stock photo from the internet, similar to what they see on their plants.

[Leafmite]

I hope you will have success getting rid of the nasty little critters.