Mealybugs

• Mealybug adults are less than half an inch long and have a cottony appearance. The insects may be found in clusters on plant joints and underneath foliage but they like to hide and may be difficult to locate on the plant. Mealybugs suck on plant sap and leave behind a a substance called "honeydew" that attracts ants and may develop a dark mold called "sooty" or black mold. If the plant is small enough to carry, place it outdoors or in the tub and direct a strong stream of water over the plant to dislodge the bugs and cocoons. You can also use a pyrethrum spray, nicotine solution or mineral-based pesticide to kill the mealy bugs.
  
  

Gnats and Flies

• While the sciara fly, or fungus gnat, buzzing around the African milk tree plant can be annoying, it is harmless. The fly's offspring are another matter. The larvae feed on the roots around the plant and can kill seedlings. Dispose of infested seedlings and the dirt around their roots. Pyrethrin sprays can control adult flies or use sticky traps. Whiteflies are tiny, powdery-looking moths that may rise up in a cloud when an infested plant is disturbed. The insects are usually on the underside of African milk tree foliage. Whiteflies are attracted to anything yellow, so hang yellow sticky traps vertically near the plant to control the population. Spray with a pyrethrin-based insecticide to boost control.
  
  

Red Spider Mites

• If your African milk tree looks as if it has brown dust mites and tiny spider web strands, the culprit is probably red spider mites. These sucking insects, like whiteflies, rob the plant of vital juices. Spider mites are about 1/50 of an inch long and virtually invisible without a magnifying glass. Red spider mites feed on young growth. Use a forceful spray of water to dislodge the mites. If the plant is severely infested, use a miticide to kill them.
  
  

Root Mealybugs

• Although they look like regular mealybugs, root mealybugs are smaller and more adventurous than their mealybug cousins. Root mealybugs can travel from one infested plant to another, infesting different containers within a short period of time. These insects feed only on the plant's roots and may not be noticed until you repot the African milk tree. If root mealybugs infest the plant, thoroughly wash the plant's roots and dip the roots into a contact insecticide before repotting the African milk tree in a clean, sanitary growing medium.