bug infestion on my flowers?

Question

i have a selection of flowers outside my home (we live in sw florida) that have a bug problem, i thought they maybe spider mites but i am not sure. it starts as what looks like a small white cotton ball on the tips of the flowers i have been spraying with 3 in 1 insecticide and fungicide but it doesn't seem to be helping at all, is there something else that would work ,maybe something natural and not a chemical. I am not sure what the flower is it is used in planters and borders and the flowers close up at night die off, and new ones open in the morning. they spread very quickly in their pots are rather pretty to look at .

i have looked at the websites and they are not spider mites i think they may be mealy bugs. some recommended using flea and tick shampoo mixed with water, has any one ever tried this.

Answer 1

Mealybugs are very difficult to control with spray insecticides. One thing that you can try is a strong jet of water to flush them from your plants.

"A Q-tip with rubbing alcohol can be used to dab the alcohol on the little critters if you have a small infestation. Repeat the alcohol treatment to remove the tiny yellowish spots which are the recently hatched crawlers. Pay particular attention to the folds, crotches, branch bases, midrib areas, and roots. Spraying the alcohol with a misting bottle or small pump sprayer is effective , but dribbling alcohol into tight areas is necessary. A potential problem with alcohol treatment that is occasionally reported may be chilling of the plant. The rapid evaporation of alcohol cools the plant tissues. Especially with air movement that increases evaporative cooling, this chilling is suspected of over-cooling tissues and creating zones of dead cells that can become necrotic with bacterial or fungal infestation. On warm days with a wind consider wiping any residual alcohol with a tissue instead of permitting it to evaporate off the plant. Also, spraying of alcohol is not always effective against eggs which are often well hidden, hence the need for thoroughness and repetition.

You also can mix-in a small amount of mild liquid dish detergent, and sometimes mineral oil, neem oil, or horticultural oil. One recipe for a 1.5 liter spray bottle is to mix a 50:50 solution of isopropyl and water, with a few drops to about a teaspoon of liquid soap to act as a spreader, and a teaspoon of one of the oils. Caution is urged, however, as excessive amounts or too strong of a detergent, or use of an ammonia-based chemical cleaner may damage your plants, particularly buds and flowers. This is particularly true of dish-soaps and household detergents that could remove natural protective waxes from plant tissues.

Horticultural oil, neem oil, mineral oil, and insecticidal soaps are effective for mealybug suppression. All of these solutions are generally considered safer for humans, pets, and plants than usual insecticides. None provide absolute control over mealybugs, but frequent use during the presence of crawlers can serve to reduce their populations dramatically

Mealybugs are vulnerable to a variety of parasitic and predatory insects, including wasps, brown and green lacewings, and lady beetles. Weather, especially heavy rains, also help to keep mealybug populations low. Grow plants such as dill, fennel, coreopsis and brightly colored flowers near the mealybug-prone plants that can help to attract parasitic wasps. "

Systemics like imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate) & acephate (Ortho® Systemic Insect Killer Concentrate) may offer better control of larger infestations. Other insecticides are malathion(Ortho® Malathion Plus™ Insect Spray Concentrate) & carbaryl (Sevin). Pyrethrins and rotenone have limited effectiveness. Of course, always follow label directions and never exceed the minimum recommended concentration given in mixing directions!
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Answer 2

3 in 1 insecticide and fungicide
If that is the one that is from walmart then I'm surprised it doesn't work.
Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet
Spider Mites And Their Control
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2012.html

Interesting Fact: One reason that spider mites become a problem is insecticides that kill their natural predators.
ORGANIC GARDENING
http://www.organic-gardening-shop.com/Agorganics/BugDetails.aspx?BUGID=33&ProductName=Spider+Mitehttp://www.doktordoom.com/pests.html
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05507.html
Natural enemies include small lady beetles, predatory mites, minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs and predatory thrips.
One reason that spider mites become a problem is insecticides that kill their natural predators.
Irrigation and moisture management can be important cultural controls for spider mites.
APPARENTLY what is happening is the predators are being killed off as well. I have given you a couple of links for further information and ABOVE a list of natural predators.

Answer 3

My barbie volkwagon buggie has a flower on the dashboard. No kidding