When I left Portugal for the summer I dared to hope I had eradicated my mealybug infestation on the balcony.

But I returned last week to find they had survived in the soil of my Lantana and had already started to spread to the neighbouring lime tree.

Not having it. If left unchecked, they will destroy EVERYTHING.

I sprayed them with a shedload of isopropyl alcohol, followed by double concentration deltamethrin, and then today, some systemic neonicotinoid spray (it’s ok, they aren’t flowering, it won’t hurt bees).

I aso removed ALL foliage from the Lantana, and threw it in the bin.

I am daring to hope t hat will be it, but I’m going to be utterly paranoid over the next 6 months, and at the first sign of ANYTHING, out comes the nuclear pesticide regime again.

They started this. I’m finishing it. At least they can’t fly, so once they’re gone, they’re gone.