What's eating my curio peregrinus?

String of dolphins (Curio peregrinus) is a succulent houseplant that is generally pest-resistant. Mealybugs are the chief enemy, hiding in the joints of the distinctive dolphin-shaped leaves. Overwatering invites fungus gnats. Root mealybugs can attack unseen below compost level.

White cottony clusters in leaf joints and along stems; honeydew residue; leaves shrivel and growth stalls Remove with alcohol-dipped cotton swab; spray entire plant with diluted neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat weekly for 4 weeks

White powdery coating on roots visible when repotting; plant wilts despite adequate water and shows unexplained slow decline Unpot, wash all soil from roots, treat with a neem or systemic insecticide drench, and repot in fresh compost

Adult gnats hover around compost; larvae eat fine roots causing yellowing and poor growth — worst when soil is kept too moist Allow compost to dry out fully between waterings; apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) drench; use yellow sticky traps for adults