Meet Bob... I Gave Him a Job

Hey there Reader

Lately I’ve been getting back into one of my favourite little routines again. I take my coffee outside in the morning and just stand there looking at the plants for a few minutes before the day really starts. No rushing, no filming, just that quiet moment where you actually notice things.

The other morning I was halfway through my coffee when something tiny caught my eye. A little white blob moving across one of the leaves. And I mean tiny. At first I genuinely couldn’t work out what I was looking at (cause... glasses!). It just looked like this fluffy speck slowly wandering across the plant.

So I did the classic plant person move and leaned right in. Like… face almost touching the plant levels of leaning in.

Then ... JACKPOT!!! It was a mealybug destroyer larvae!!

If you’ve never seen one before they look like a tiny moving bit of cotton, which honestly makes them look suspicious at first. But these little guys hunt mealybugs. They are basically tiny pest control machines wandering around your plants looking for snacks.

Have you ever had one of those “plant jackpot” moments where something unexpectedly worked in your favour? If so I’d genuinely love to hear it. Those little wins are half the fun of this hobby.

And the timing of this discovery made me laugh a bit because I’ve been quietly ignoring a small mealybug situation on one of my Hoyas. (You know when you spot a pest and think, “Right. I should deal with that soon.” And then somehow “soon” turns into several weeks and you just keep pretending you didn’t see it. 🫣)

So there I am standing on the deck with my coffee watching this little predator marching around doing the exact job I’ve been avoiding.

Honestly it felt like the universe had just sent backup.

I grabbed my giant leaf hands (you know those big flat plastic claws for heavy leaves- link!), gently scooped him up, brought him inside, and plopped him on the Hoya in question, which felt like introducing a very small employee to his new workplace. At that point it only seemed fair to give him a name.

So… Bob.

Bob the Mealybug Destroyer.

And I have to say, watching him get to work was oddly satisfying. I gave him food and shelter, and he’s helping me deal with the pest problem I’ve been procrastinating on. Not a bad little trade really.

Plants helping insects. Insects helping plants. And me standing there with my coffee feeling like I’ve somehow hired the world’s tiniest pest control team. 🥰

🪴 Quick troubleshoot (Aka Plant Panic of the week!)

Before you blast your plant with a leaf shower, pause for two seconds and check any white fluffy bits first. Mealybugs usually look like tiny cotton balls stuck to the leaf doing absolutely nothing.

A mealybug destroyer larvae is bigger and actually wandering around like it owns the place. Mine looked like a tiny creature wearing a fuzzy white coat with little spikes all over it.

If the fluff is moving, congratulations… you might have just hired free pest control.

✅ This week’s tiny challenge

Next time you clean your plant leaves, don’t just wipe the top and call it a day. Flip the leaves over and wipe the undersides properly while you’re there. That’s where pests love to hide, especially right near the stem and along the leaf edges.

Pick one plant this week and give every leaf the full clean. Top, bottom, no lazy shortcuts. Your plants will thank you, and you might even spot your own little Bob working the night shift. 🥹

🌿 Plant Spotlight. A note from the shelf...

Hellooooo. Gloriosum here!

Yes, I’m the one Angie nearly gave up on ....and honestly we’re still a little awkward about it.

Unlike my climbing cousins who insist on heading straight up a pole, I prefer to wander sideways. One leaf at a time, slowly taking over whatever space you give me.

The real show though is the leaves. Big, velvety, deep green with those bright veins running through them like someone drew them on with a white pen.

Give me a bit of patience and some room to crawl and I’ll quietly turn into one of the most dramatic plants in the room. Not bad for someone who nearly got evicted. 🌿

🎥 This Week on YouTube

For sooo long I couldnt grow Alocasia's so I decide to ignore all the info and figure it all out for myself. And now four years later ive cracked the code as my Alocasia's are out of control!

If you want our Alocasia's to flourish, watch this video!