You should throw away a plant that has mealybugs if the plant is really badly infested and damaged to where it won't thrive.
Although if the plant is still okay and the mealybug infestation on the plant is not too severe you can often remove the mealybugs and save the plant.
Mealybugs are small, soft bodied insects that are covered cottony wax and they feed on plant sap and weaken the plant and leave behind sticky "honeydew" which can also foster black sooty mold.
Mealybugs love to hide in new growth and leaf crevices, and mealybug infestations can also stunt growth or even kill off plants if severe enough.
This requires quick action to get rid of the mealybugs like wiping the mealybugs off the plants using some alcohol dipped cotton swabs or treating the mealybugs with some insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Mealybugs are tiny, oval insects that resemble little cotton balls or even fuzzy white specks, often with waxy filaments.
The mealybugs also suck sap from plants, excrete sweet honeydew and their waxy coating also protects the mealybugs.
The signs of mealybugs on your plants are clusters in leaf axils, which is where the leaves meet the stems or on new growth, also look for any sticky residue or honeydew or black mold.
To get rid of the mealybugs from your plants, immediately remove the infested plant away from other plants to prevent spread of the mealybugs to the other plants.
And for light mealybug infestations you can dab the mealybugs with a cotton swab that is dipped in 70 percent rubbing alcohol.
For heavier mealybug infestations, spray the entire plant including top to bottom of leaves with some insecticidal soap or neem oil solution.
Or using a diluted rubbing alcohol spray with 10 to 20 percent of the rubbing alcohol in water.
And treat the plant for the mealybug infestations every few days for several weeks as new mealybugs hatch.
And avoid overwatering your plants to ensure good airflow and make sure the plants are less attractive to the mealybugs.
Mealybugs are insects in the family Pseudococcidae, unarmored scale insects found in moist, warm habitats.
Of the more than 2,000 described species, many mealybugs are considered pests as they feed on plant juices of greenhouse plants, house plants and subtropical trees and also act as a vector for several plant diseases.