What's eating my orbea lutea?

Orbea lutea is a compact yellow-flowered stapeliad kept as an indoor succulent. Mealybugs are the most prevalent pest, hiding in the grooves of its angular stems. Root mealybugs and fungus gnats become problematic if the plant is kept too wet. Bright conditions and sharp drainage prevent most issues.

Fluffy white deposits tucked into stem grooves and at soil level; slow decline and honeydew stickiness. Manually remove with alcohol swabs. Spray thoroughly with neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly for three to four treatments, reaching into stem crevices.

Wilting unrelated to drought; white powdery coating visible on roots and in soil when the plant is removed from its pot. Remove all soil from roots, rinse clean, and treat with a systemic neem or imidacloprid soil drench. Repot into sterile fast-draining mix.

Adult gnats near the soil surface; larvae graze on fine roots, causing yellowing and stunted growth. Let soil dry thoroughly between waterings. Apply Bti-based biological controls to the soil or water with dilute hydrogen peroxide solution to kill larvae.