A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Are these mealy bugs?

I have a Pink Splash Hypoestes that has a weird growth around the base just above the soil. From the information I obtained from different sources I was sure I had a mealy bug problem.The pictures I've recently seen of mealy bugs look like little cotton balls around the stems. What my plant has is more like white hair growing around the stem. I tried alcohol, alcohol and more alcohol but I think I may have gotten the instructions mixed up...I kept falling down drunk and the hair is still there! ( and growing ) Any ideas? Thanks for your help, Wally.
I originaly posted this in the Gardeners Chat but Weezie thought it would be better here since it's an indoor plant. The alcohol is a 70% solution.

Hi Wally!
From my experience with my Hypoestes, what I think you may have is new growth. My hypo recently put out new growth right at the base at the soil line, and that's exactly how it started, as a mass of white "hairs". I just left it alone, and before long, little tiny leaves started to form, and the white hairs disappeared. (fell off maybe?) My plant now has a nice new rosette of leaves. This is just a guess, but it sure sounds the same?


Nikkal

Well Nikkal, I think you may have hit the nail on the head here! A bunch of new leaves started to grow at the base about two weeks ago and I just cut the rest of the plant back to see if they would flourish. I'll let you know if the hair falls off.
Thanks Nikkal.
Wally.