Pest identification
What's eating my beautiful living stones?
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy fluff at the junction between the leaf pair or around the base; plant looks shrivelled despite correct watering
Control: Apply 70% rubbing alcohol with a fine brush or cotton swab; drench with diluted neem oil; repeat fortnightly
Root mealybugs
Signs: Stunted growth; leaves stay wrinkled even after watering; white powdery colonies on roots when unpotted
Control: Unpot, rinse roots, soak in diluted neem or imidacloprid solution, repot in fresh gritty mix
Fungus gnats
Signs: Adults fly around pot; larvae nibble roots in moist soil causing wilting in small plants
Control: Use a very well-draining mineral mix; top-dress with grit; apply Bti drench; use yellow sticky traps
Keep beautiful living stones pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Beautiful Living Stones pests — FAQ
What is eating my beautiful living stones?
Lithops bella (Beautiful Living Stones) is a tough succulent but mealybugs are its chief pest, hiding at the base between the leaf pair where moisture collects. Root mealybugs attack unseen below the soil. Overwatering invites fungus gnats. True leaf-eating pests rarely bother this genus — getting watering right matters far more than pest control.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on beautiful living stones?
White waxy fluff at the junction between the leaf pair or around the base; plant looks shrivelled despite correct watering Apply 70% rubbing alcohol with a fine brush or cotton swab; drench with diluted neem oil; repeat fortnightly
How do I get rid of root mealybugs on beautiful living stones?
Stunted growth; leaves stay wrinkled even after watering; white powdery colonies on roots when unpotted Unpot, rinse roots, soak in diluted neem or imidacloprid solution, repot in fresh gritty mix
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on beautiful living stones?
Adults fly around pot; larvae nibble roots in moist soil causing wilting in small plants Use a very well-draining mineral mix; top-dress with grit; apply Bti drench; use yellow sticky traps