Mealy Mites

• Mealy mites grow to 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch long. You may notice these pests rising in numbers in early spring. Females lay up to 600 eggs in a compact, waxy sac that attaches to stems or leaves, according to Oklahoma State University. Eggs take seven to 10 days to hatch. Pests may live up to two months after being hatched. Because mealy mites are small, gardeners often notice their damage before identifying the pests.
  
  

Damage

• Pests cause damage by sucking out the nutrients in leaves. Mealy mites process the sap from leaves and secrete a sticky substance called honeydew on hibiscus plants. Fungal spores floating in the wind attach themselves to the honeydew. This appears as a black fungal growth on your plants. In addition, ants love to eat honeydew, so you may also see a high ant population on your hibiscus. Furthermore, gardeners may notice signs of mealy mite damage such as yellowing leaves, stunted growth, leaf distortion and defoliation.
  
  

Chemical Treatment

• Pesticides are more effective when mealy mites are in their crawler stage or right before they develop their waxy coating. To tell if they are in their crawler stage, wrap a piece of tape around one of the stems on your hibiscus plants, as suggested by the University of Florida. Spray your hibiscus plant with a pesticide that contains acephate, carbaryl or cyfluthrin. Cover the entire plant including the undersides of leaves with the pesticide.
  
  

Cultural Treatment

• Prune heavily infested or damaged areas from your hibiscus plant. Make 45-degree downward angled cuts to remove stems or leaves. Clean up the area underneath your hibiscus. Fungal spores and mealy mites live in plant debris. To clean fungal spores off your plant, spray your hibiscus with a strong stream of water in the morning. Avoid spraying in the late afternoon because wet leaves and nighttime temperatures encourage fungal diseases.