Hadn't been aware of the golden mealy bug before. As someone who grows a lot of Meconopsis, this sounds like very bad news. Will immediately check this out on the Meconopsis Group website
Nothing on the Mec Group website, tthat I could find, Peter.
There is a little info here :
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=830 but none of it cheering. As well as the info shown above, this is as good as it gets .....
"What is golden root mealybug?
Golden root mealybug is a sap feeding insect that feeds on the roots of a wide variety of plants, although it has mainly been found on Meconopsis and Primula in the UK. Unlike most other mealybug species found in the Britain it is able to survive the winter outdoors.
The golden root mealybug is a recent arrival in the UK, and has so far only been found in Scotland and northern England. The RHS wants gardeners finding this insect in their garden to let them know by sending samples to the Entomology Team, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. The postcode of the house/garden where the pest has been found should be given, along with the identity of the host plants, or if unknown a sample of the foliage and flowers.
Symptoms
You may see the following symptoms:
• Infestations are usually first noticed when the roots of underperforming plants are examined
• Small (2-3 mm) insects covered in a golden yellow wax attached to the roots. Note: other sap-sucking root pests, e.g. root aphid or other root mealybugs are usually white
• In its native New Zealand the golden root mealybug does not cause serious plant damage. In the UK infestations have been noticed on plants lacking vigour it is not known if the mealybugs were the cause
Control
There are currently no pesticide controls for root mealybugs in the open ground. Heavily infested plants should be removed and burnt or disposed of in council waste. "
