---
title: "I need help identifying this pest/insect on my variegated string of…"
description: "I need help identifying this pest/insect on my variegated string of pearls 😭 I noticed a bigger one on the edge of the pot (picture on the white tissue), and…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/TZa5ihckvDanmrEwLsxScG"
community: "Pests, diseases and problems"
author: "Camy"
published: "2026-03-21T21:07:11.260031Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/UE2H6HLz7BCrJJcxYboOLNdtGLgZr-wz69yWpexFqR4/w0YJmUJbR5K1ER9k-MAdDg.webp?size=large"
---

[Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md)

# I need help identifying this pest/insect on my variegated string of…

_Posted by Camy on 2026-03-21_

I need help identifying this pest/insect on my variegated string of pearls 😭 I noticed a bigger one on the edge of the pot (picture on the white tissue), and am noticing very very minuscule ones walking on my pearls. They are oval shaped, white, but with no clumping or cotton like texture. What looks like webbing is actually just cat hairs😂 What do you guys think?

![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/UE2H6HLz7BCrJJcxYboOLNdtGLgZr-wz69yWpexFqR4/w0YJmUJbR5K1ER9k-MAdDg.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/UE2H6HLz7BCrJJcxYboOLNdtGLgZr-wz69yWpexFqR4/k3qtjC2ER8iyB8XiPUTrlw.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/UE2H6HLz7BCrJJcxYboOLNdtGLgZr-wz69yWpexFqR4/o1FftXoYRd2PqNWU4U_0lA.webp?size=large)

## 7 comments

### Phil commented on 2026-03-21

Mealy.

### Phil commented on 2026-03-21

That is the adult I believe. Egg sacks are cottony looking.

### Camy commented on 2026-03-21

It looks like it, but the bugs are not clumping or cottony 😕 they are individually walking on separate pearls

#### Phil replied on 2026-03-21

Yeah. Hard to tell for sure. It’s difficult to get a good picture of these little guys. Try googling the first pic.

#### Camy replied on 2026-03-22

Thank you for your help! 🙂 I will treat with rubbing alcohol and insecticidal soap. My guess is that they are mealybugs caught at a very early stage

### Rosina commented on 2026-03-22

Definitely looks like mealybug. I am constantly battling them…I often find that the day after I do a big alcohol cleaning, the little guys come out and I have to do a follow up round.  
No idea how this happened but one fell into my coffee recently 🤢

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/dT0kiFmta4M1dFnp8KRwdkPM_CPrnvRlJ0xUrGAJhdg/NZ4aTDVqSbq9g73_yjwfBQ.webp?size=large)

#### Camy replied on 2026-03-22

Eww omg poor you😂😂

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