What's eating my orbea ciliata?

Orbea ciliata is a low-growing stapeliad succulent kept as a houseplant, most at risk from mealybugs sheltering along its angled stems. Spider mites are a secondary hazard in hot, dry indoor air. Its carrion-scented flowers attract flies for pollination but those flies do not damage the plant.

White cottony patches at stem angles and bases; slow growth; honeydew attracts sooty mold. Remove with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs. Follow up with neem oil or insecticidal soap spray weekly for three to four weeks. Quarantine the plant from others.

Fine pale stippling along stem ribs; webbing in crevices in very dry conditions; overall loss of green vibrancy. Wipe stems with a damp cloth to remove mites mechanically. Spray neem oil solution weekly; increase air humidity near the plant away from direct heat.

Unexplained wilting; white waxy residue on roots detected when repotting. Bare-root the plant, wash roots in clean water, and soak in a dilute insecticide drench. Repot in fresh, well-draining cactus compost.