Greenhouse Insect-

Mealybugs

By: Bella Pedranti

Class Order Family

Insecta Hemiptera Pseudococcidae;

Heymons, 1915
Life Cycle
After egg laying, females die
and the eggs hatch in 7 to 10
days into tiny yellowish
crawlers (nymphs). The
long-tailed mealybug is
slightly different in that
females give birth to living
young. The complete life
cycle can take six weeks to
two months depending on
the species and the
environmental conditions.
Feeding Habits

Mealybug females feed on

plant sap, normally in roots or
other crevices, and in a few
cases the bottoms of stored
fruit. They attach themselves
to the plant and secrete a
powdery wax layer (hence the
name "mealy" bug) used for
protection while they suck the
plant juices.
Control
What ways can you control Mealybugs in your garden?
Biological Control
● The most capable biological control of Mealybugs is with the use of the predatory
Ladybird; Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. This is a black Ladybird with an orange
head, which especially likes feeding on Mealybug eggs. The larvae of this
Ladybird will also feed on Mealybugs and even looks like a large Mealybug.
● The mealybug destroyer can be purchased for augmentative release and is often
released in greenhouses and interiorscapes or in citrus orchards after a cold
winter has killed off native populations.
● Releasing mealybug destroyers, focus on periods when there are many mealybug
egg sacs, because the lady beetles require mealybug eggs as food to stimulate
their own reproduction. There is little point in releasing them when mealybug
numbers are low or when they are not reproducing.
Chemical Control
● On small infestations on houseplants, a 70% or less solution of isopropyl
(rubbing) alcohol in water may be dabbed directly on mealybugs with a cotton
swab to kill them or remove them. Test the solution out on a small part of the
plant 1 to 2 days beforehand to make sure it does not cause leaf burn
(phytotoxicity). In some cases, a much more diluted solution may be advisable.
Where infestations are extensive, a 10-25% solution of isopropyl alcohol can be
applied with a spray bottle. You will need to repeat this procedure every week
until the infestation is gone.
● Insecticidal soaps, horticultural oil, or neem oil insecticides applied directly on
mealybugs can provide some suppression, especially against younger nymphs
that have less wax accumulation.
● Products containing the systemic insecticide dinotefuran may reduce mealybug
numbers on some landscape plants, and plant spikes or granules containing the
related insecticide imidacloprid may reduce mealybug crawler numbers on
houseplants.
Cultural Control
● Regularly inspect mealybug-prone plant species in your landscape or indoor
plantings for mealybugs. If you find an infestation, physically remove the insects
by handpicking or prune them out.
● Toss out older “grandmother” plants that may be a source of infestation for new
plants. Check pots, stakes, and other materials for mealybugs and their egg sacs
and dispose of any infested items.
● It may be possible to reduce populations on sturdy plants with a high-pressure
or forcible spray of water. Repeat applications at several-day intervals may be
necessary.
● Avoid unnecessary applications of nitrogen fertilizer on plants with mealybugs.
High rates of nitrogen coupled with regular irrigation may stimulate tender new
plant growth as well as mealybug egg production.
How to identify damage done by the
Mealybug
● Mealybug bodies are distinctly segmented and usually covered with wax. Older
individuals may have wax filaments around their body margins. In some species
the filaments are longer in the rear and can be used to help distinguish between
different species.
● Mealybugs are usually found feeding in colonies in somewhat protected areas
such as between two touching fruits, in the crown of a plant, in branch crotches,
on stems near soil, or between the stem and touching leaves. A few mealybug
species feed on roots.
● Newly hatched mealybug nymphs (called crawlers) are yellow to orangish or
pink, lack wax, and are quite mobile, but they begin to excrete a waxy covering
soon after settling down to feed.
Now, if you spot these insects in
your garden you’ll know how to
deal with them properly!