AusBonsai

Jarad wrote: ↑October 12th, 2023, 11:40 am When I rub the fluffy parts there's something underneath that gets squashed and leave dark we streaks on my skin.


::EDIT::

Would Yates Mavrik or Ultra from the big green shed be suitable?

Are the "fluffy parts" web like?
Did you mean "dark RED streaks on my skin" when you squash them?

If the answer is yes to both of these I am leaning towards spider mites as the issue. I have never used mavrik etc so can't say whether this would be effective, I have used lime sulfur as a dormant spray though after seeing them a couple of years back which seemed to work. Obviously this isn't any use now as it needs to be applied in winter. Neem oil I understand can be effective too but again, I haven't used it specifically for spider mites. The real problem with spraying is that things like ladybugs which prey on the mites are also taken out, and these are most likely actually more effective at eradicating mites if you can encourage them. You would need to be diligent with reapplications if you do spray to ensure complete eradication across the lifecycle.
I was also advised to spray the areas with a jet of water and then try and keep the foliage moist for a week or more following as the mites like hot and dry conditions. The initial spray dislodges them and the wetter environment following makes it uninviting for them to return. I did this (re-jetting the areas every couple of weeks) and if it didn't completely get rid of them, it did stop the issue getting worse until winter came and I could go with the lime sulfur as mentioned. Of course, the down side to constantly wet foliage could be fungal issues etc, but I seemed to avoid these.

Spider mites leave much finer webbing, more like spider web. The webbing here is much more like cotton wool which is much more like Adelgid or Woolly aphid. Because it is on a pine I'm much more inclined to think Adelgid.

Mavrik is a CONTACT pesticide meaning it will only kill the bugs it actually gets onto. If you think it will penetrate the woolly protective cover it will probably work but I know that covering is water resistant so most sprays don't get through - one of the reasons these buggers are hard to deal with.
Yates Ultra is Spinosad which is also a contact insecticide but I note they list citrus leaf miner on the list of bugs if mixed with white oil. I suspect the white oil would deal with hidden bugs without the Ultra but white oil may penetrate the woolly Adelgid coating enough to be effective. I have not used either white oil or Ultra so can't give any help with effectiveness.

Check any insecticide effectiveness by searching for live bugs a week or so after application. Contact insecticide will not kill eggs so repeat treatment will be needed as new generation hatches - probably a couple more applications at 2 week intervals.

Thanks guys!

The white growth on these guys is much denser like Neil said.

I'm thinking about getting a small paint brush and get into every nook and cranny fortnightly.

If you are going to use a paint brush alcohol (methylated spirit or rubbing alcohol) is very effective on most pests, including adelgid. Instantly kills the bug and penetrates though the woolly covering. I've even sprayed it onto plants.

Brilliant, I'll do that.

I slipped this guy into a significanty larger pot with a mix of zeolite, diatomite, sand and pine bark. It was quite pot bound (as expected) and was pretty unhealthy. After a month of regular watering, fertiliser and some light trimming (trying to get energy redirected to the lowest branches) she's looking healthier every day. New needles keep popping up everywhere, even in locations I wasn't expecting. I haven't had a chance to get rid of the pest growing all over it, but that's next on my list of things to do.