What's eating my aloinopsis malherbei?

Aloinopsis malherbei, a compact South African mesemb kept indoors, is most threatened by mealybugs — particularly root mealybugs hidden beneath the soil. Spider mites attack in warm, dry indoor air, and fungus gnats breed in overwatered compost. Inspect roots at each repot and keep soil lean and fast-draining.

White cottony fluff on stems or leaf axils; root form causes stunted growth and a white powdery residue visible when you unpot the plant. Dab visible bugs with a 70% isopropyl alcohol swab. For root mealybugs, unpot, rinse roots clean, let dry, then repot into fresh dry compost. Follow up with a systemic imidacloprid drench.

Fine webbing between leaves and tiny russet or silver speckling on leaf surfaces, mainly in heated, low-humidity winter rooms. Isolate the plant; spray thoroughly with diluted neem oil or insecticidal soap, covering all leaf surfaces. Repeat every 5–7 days for three rounds.

Tiny black flies around the pot; larvae in wet compost feed on fine roots, causing wilting and slow decline. Allow compost to dry fully between waterings. Top-dress with a layer of coarse grit or perlite. Use yellow sticky traps; apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) drench for persistent infestations.