Mealybugs On Hibiscus

Mealy bugs are often a problem on hibiscus brought in from the outside for the winter. The plants are stressed from going from a high light situation to a low light one even though it is a sunroom, the light is not as bright and not as long during the winter. Keep it away from any other plants you may have in the house because they will spread.
Remove all flowers that may be blooming as well as any buds because mealy bugs and aphids prefer them.You can dab the with a cotton swab dipped in rubbng alcohol. That will remove their waxy protective coating. You will also find them on the undersides of the leaves as well. We suggest you go to the local garden center and purchase an insecticide safe for hibiscus indoors. It may give you control, not eradication and it appears you have a good infestation. Please do not use home remedies since they can actually cause more harm than good.When using the insecticide, make sure the plant is not in direct sun and was watered at least 12 hours prior to the application. Read and follow directions exactly. Monitor the plant every few days to see if there are any new mealybugs and remove again with rubbing alcohol. If you are not able to control, the best thing is to just pitch the plant and purchase a new one in the spring.
Whenever you bring a plant in for the winters, you should check it out for a couple of weeks in a room removed from others in case there are any hitchhikers. If you do keep the plant, keep the temperatures cool, about 60 degrees which will slow down any insect growth. Keep flower buds off the entire winter and do not fertilize again until April. You should cut the branch back by at least 1/3. It will keep the plant from getting leggy. Good luck!