Chumbo , white bugs

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olive
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Chumbo , white bugs

Postby olive » Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:28 am

I had seen large lumps of chumbo cactus affected by the whitebugs in previous years in Malaga province and never thought much about it.

Last year it arrived here in the Poniente. This year the plants are dying back and look a right mess. I have a love hate relationship with the plant. Great environment for wildlife is a plus. Horrible fruits but I guess if you were a starving Spaniard during the hunger years they would have been manna. Perhaps they are an acquired taste ?

What is the long term prognosis? Do the plants ever recover? Are the bugs cyclical ( periodic plague for example) or are we witnessing the destruction of an iconic part of the countryside? Every rural house used to have them as they processed grey waste .

Anyone know? What is happening to the chumbo near you?

gavilan
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Re: Chumbo , white bugs

Postby gavilan » Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:16 am

A couple of years ago that infestation of cochineal bugs really decimated the chumbos around here and they have never recovered ... and we found those tiny white flies got in through the fly screens and were most irritating ... sad to hear they have now spread inland ...

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country boy
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Re: Chumbo , white bugs

Postby country boy » Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:31 am

If you want to try and save them (why would you?) I am told that the cheapest way is spraying with a light washing up liquid and water solution but I suspect it will be a forever job as the beetles are here to stay.
I planted over sixty Phoenix Canariensis when we arrived at our Finca in 2000, they are now 18 years old and I am having to spray them 4 times a year with systemic insect killer against the Palm Beetle...I'm really glad I chose Phoenix !!
They do look well though and are the only ones left around here now so I am secretly proud!.

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gerryh
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Re: Chumbo , white bugs

Postby gerryh » Mon Aug 20, 2018 12:08 pm

Yes the chumbos, prickly pears, have been killed off where I live.
Personally I am very happy they have gone.
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Wicksey
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Re: Chumbo , white bugs

Postby Wicksey » Mon Aug 20, 2018 2:12 pm

We've had the beetle on the chumbos for a couple of years now and although they did die back new growth appeared in the winter. It certainly hasn't killed them off completely although they are looking quite black this year. I do hope it does finish them off as we have too many around our house. There seem to be less of the tiny white flies getting in the house this year which is good.

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knowal
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Re: Chumbo , white bugs

Postby knowal » Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:36 pm

It's quite interesting that the opuntia plant, imported by man from the Americas, is being killed off by the cochineal beetle, which was also imported by man to Europe. The beetles were more useful for their dye than the chumbas were to eat.


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