What's this on my succulent?

[Shane]

Sometimes I notice this sort of waxy film on my succulent. It only appears on my succulents after they've been wet, and only the ones with a glaucous coating. I think it might be some of the coating being displaced, but I'm not sure. I don't think it's bugs. Whatever it is, will it hurt the plant? Sometimes my Echeverias will grow a batch of deformed new leaves, could it be because the center of the rosette got wet?

[DaveW]

Only thing I can think of Shane is the rain washed some of the farina off and when the raindrop evaporated it left it all behind in one spot. Have you tried brushing it off with a small artists paint brush or similar?

Presume you have not sprayed them with either insecticide or fungicide which has evaporated on them?

[esp_imaging]

The right hand piece in the top photo and the material in the second photo look like they could be webs or threads made by insects / spiders.
Deformed leaves are likely caused by bugs in the heart of the rosette eating a bit of the very immature, developing leaves.

Tortrix moth caterpillars cause damage and join leaves with similar silky threads here in the UK. Maybe this species or your local equivalent pest is the cause.

[Shane]

Thanks for the responses

Only thing I can think of Shane is the rain washed some of the farina off and when the raindrop evaporated it left it all behind in one spot

I was wondering this too...

Also, you calling it 'farina' (I didn't know that's what's called until now) reminds me of my time in northeastern Minnesota, where farina is the local name for cream of wheat funny enough

Have you tried brushing it off with a small artists paint brush or similar?

Yes, it brushes right off

Presume you have not sprayed them with either insecticide or fungicide which has evaporated on them?

Correct. And I don't think it's minerals in the water because we don't have hard water here

Deformed leaves are likely caused by bugs in the heart of the rosette eating a bit of the very immature, developing leaves

I knew pests could cause this, I was just hoping it was my watering because that's easier to change than identifying and eliminating pests. But come to think of it if a bit of water in the rosette for a short time caused bad growth there I would see a lot more bad growth

[Greencoffeegirl]

I get the same white papery residue on my echeverias every time water gets on them from watering. We have very hard water where I am and I've always assumed the flakes were dried-up calcium.

In my experience, the flakes do not harm the plant and can easily be removed with a brush or a set of tweezers. I try my best to water the soil and never the plant's leaves to avoid them now because I don't like how they look.

[Shane]

I get the same white papery residue on my echeverias every time water gets on them from watering. We have very hard water where I am and I've always assumed the flakes were dried-up calcium.

In my experience, the flakes do not harm the plant and can easily be removed with a brush or a set of tweezers. I try my best to water the soil and never the plant's leaves to avoid them now because I don't like how they look.

Thanks for the response. Glad I'm not the only one who's seen this. Welcome to the forum!