Thanks for your question.

Without a picture of these insects, I cannot confirm your identification of their being mealybugs. Given this uncertainty, I am not completely confident in my answer to you.

I see that you asked a question on 2/28/22 of our forum regarding mealy bugs. The pictures you included in your question at that time were certainly mealybugs. So maybe this is what you currently have. In a response (3/4/22) at the time of your question, another Master Gardener suggested various remedial procedures. If these were successful in 2022, they should also be successful now in 2024.

Here is some information on mealybugs including remedial things that you might do:

https://extension.umn.edu/product-and-houseplant-pests/insects-indoor-plants - mealybugs-1581111

https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/mealybugs

https://ncipmhort.cfans.umn.edu/introduction-mealybugs

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/mealybugs_a_common_pest_of_indoor_plants

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/mealybugs/

Good luck. Please get back to us with any additional, related questions.

Thanks for your question.

Unfortunately I cannot provide you with a short and simple answer. Mealybugs and their eggs are not particularly cold-hardy, but 36°F (2°C) is unlikely to kill them outright. At this temperature, adults may become inactive or slow, but they likely won't die unless temperatures drop significantly below freezing for a prolonged period. Second, mealybug eggs possess a waxy coating that make them more resilient to cold than adults and may survive short exposures to 36°F.

There are several different species of mealybugs and cold tolerance varies from one species to another. If you're trying to control a mealybug infestation, freezing temperatures below 28°F (-2°C) for several hours are more likely to kill them.

With respect to the control of mealy bugs, I’ll refer you back to products that our forum has previously provided you. These include insecticidal soap, neem oil, or systemic pesticides. See the following for additional information.

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/mealybugs-2/ - :~:text=A moderately strong spray of,cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol.

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-control-mealybugs-1902890

Thanks for using our forum. Good luck.

Thanks for your response.  It is highly likely that any eggs on the outside pots will not survive the winter.  However as you well know, rarely are there certainties in gardening and their pests.  Good luck and please get back to us with any further questions or updates.