The white bugs on plants are generally aphids or mealybugs — two distinct species that are closely related; mealybugs appear as tiny white fluffy spots, while aphids have a waxy or wooly coating. Lady beetles and parasitic wasps can both be used to rid plants of aphids and mealybugs.
Aphids are pear shaped and normally feed in large groups. They can eat the leaves, stem, flowers, fruit or roots of a plant. Signs of aphids include yellow curled leaves, leaves that are coated in a sticky substance and black mold on the leaves or stem.
Mealybugs appear to have fringe around their bodies. Like aphids, they eat any part of the plant so that they can gets its juice. Signs of a mealybug infection are similar to that of an aphid infestation: leaves and fruits that drop off prematurely, yellow leaves, black mold and a sticky substance on the plant.
