Mealybugs?

[Soapy764]

I have gone to repot my Hoya Bella as I was concerned about the quality of the soil but as soon as I removed it from the pot I noticed these little clumps of white fuzz along the roots. My first instinct was to wash away as much of the soil as possible but I’m concerned it may not be enough. Are these definitely mealybugs and is it safe to spray neem oil directly onto the roots?

 

[Chuck]

Those are probably Root Mealybugs. They are very similar to regular mealybugs and are controlled the same way. Neem Oil works as good as anything but, use it as a soil drench instead of a spray.

 

[Soapy764]

I had no idea neem oil could be used that way! Thank you for the suggestion, I’ll start using it with my other plants occasionally too. Fingers crossed it saves the Hoya, it’s just started flowering!