Dear All, This message from Mary Wise to the Australian Bulb list and to ours seems to have gotten lost because of the way it was addressed so I am resending it. Alberto has already responded to her with the alcohol solution that some of you were suggesting very recently you had used with good results when we discussed insecticides. And that seems like an easy one to try. But in case there are any others and so Mary won't think we are excluding her, here is her message. Mary Sue My Hippeastrum are absolutely infested with millions of mealy bug. Wondered why they are looking so poorly, well that is the reason the damned things are thick . What the heck do I spray them with that is relatively non-toxic to me as I am highly sensitive to pesticides and dont normally use anything if I can help it. Does anyone have a recipe for home made White Oil please, dont know if that would help but I need to do something pronto. In the meantime I have been washing the plants with a strong jet of water to at least give them a little respite from the blasted things.