What's eating my echeveria 'purple pearl'?

Echeveria 'Purple Pearl' shares the typical succulent pest profile. Mealybugs are the primary threat, hiding in the tight rosette. Root mealybugs and vine weevil grubs can devastate the root system without obvious above-ground warning. Fungus gnats appear if the substrate stays too wet. Inspect between leaves at every watering and act early.

White waxy fluff between rosette leaves and along stem; yellowing, wilting leaves and honeydew Treat with isopropyl alcohol on a swab; spray with neem oil solution; repeat every 7–10 days; check soil surface for root mealybugs

Unseen white colonies on roots cause wilting and poor growth despite correct watering Unpot, rinse roots, remove visible bugs, allow to dry, repot in fresh gritty mix; drench with neem oil solution

Roots eaten from below; plant collapses or lifts out of soil with no viable roots attached Check roots when repotting; apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer/autumn (UK); use vine weevil compost drench