Pest identification
What's eating my purple prickly pear?
Cochineal scale (Dactylopius spp.)
Signs: White cottony patches across cactus pads that, when wiped, reveal a vivid red dye; pads yellow and shrivel under heavy attack.
Control: Blast off with a strong jet of water; dab with isopropyl alcohol; spray with diluted neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat every 10 days.
Mealybugs
Signs: White fluffy wax at the base of areoles or along pad margins; sticky honeydew.
Control: Apply 70% isopropyl alcohol with a fine brush or cotton swab to each colony; follow with neem oil spray fortnightly.
Spider mites
Signs: Fine silver or rusty stippling on pad surfaces; faint webbing in dry, hot conditions.
Control: Increase air circulation, wipe pads with a damp cloth, and spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil weekly.
Keep purple prickly pear pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Purple Prickly Pear pests — FAQ
What is eating my purple prickly pear?
Purple Prickly Pear (Opuntia macrocentra) grown indoors or in a pot is most commonly troubled by cochineal scale — a red-bodied soft scale that colonises pads under a white waxy coating. Spider mites and mealybugs are secondary threats. The dense spines make treatment tricky; use a syringe or fine paintbrush to apply controls precisely.
How do I get rid of cochineal scale (dactylopius spp.) on purple prickly pear?
White cottony patches across cactus pads that, when wiped, reveal a vivid red dye; pads yellow and shrivel under heavy attack. Blast off with a strong jet of water; dab with isopropyl alcohol; spray with diluted neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat every 10 days.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on purple prickly pear?
White fluffy wax at the base of areoles or along pad margins; sticky honeydew. Apply 70% isopropyl alcohol with a fine brush or cotton swab to each colony; follow with neem oil spray fortnightly.
How do I get rid of spider mites on purple prickly pear?
Fine silver or rusty stippling on pad surfaces; faint webbing in dry, hot conditions. Increase air circulation, wipe pads with a damp cloth, and spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil weekly.