Pests Of Hibiscus

This is either an insect called Mealybug, or the molted skins of another insect called Aphids. If the plant is grown indoors, its probably Mealybug as we don’t usually see Aphids in-doors. Outdoors, it could be either one of these (or sometimes both). The Aphids molt thru several stages of growth, shedding the old skin and leaving it behind on the leaves, so they may still be present. Look for them on the underside of the leaves and on the newest growth and flower buds. Mealybug are small cottony-looking things that don’t really look like insects to the naked eye. In any case, both of these insects are sap suckers, feeding on the leaves and excreting the sugar that is removed from the plant cells and tissues. It looks like some of these leaves may have the sticky excrement (called honeydew) on them (are they tacky/sticky to the touch?) We’ve included a link with information about these insects and how to control them. For starters, if the plant is not too large, you can wash the insects and the honeydew off with dish soap and water. You may have to do this more than once until you’ve gotten rid of them. Outdoors, you can also wash them off with a high pressure spray of water, or use a horticultural oil (just be careful the plant is watered and its not hot outside). Here’s the link:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/invertebrates/menu.aphidsthrips.html