Scientific Name

Pseudococcus obscurus, citrii, lungispinus, calceolariae

Common Name

Mealy Bug

Phylum, Class

Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae

Physical Description

Sap feeding insect 4mm long. Males are winged. Females soft bodied with wax powder coating. Young and old cluster in a protective wax powder coating in the leaf axils, necks of bulbs and spines.

Distribution, Habitat

Accidentally introduced from the tropics. Widespread in greenhouses, interior landscapes.

Life Cycle

Eggs develop on plants. Female lays 100 batches with wholly wax covering. In high temperatures, eggs hatch in a few days, and nymphs crawl for a few hours. These immobilize themselves for feeding. At 28C it takes a month to develop into an adult. They breed through the year. High population in Autumn. Reproduce parthenogencally also.

Method Of Attack

Sucks the sap in stem, buds, flowers, fruits, roots.

Damage Caused

Weakens plant, tips, fouls surfaces with sugar excreta which develops sooty mould.

Plants Affected

Vines, Fern, Orchids. Abutiolon, Anthririnum, Asparagus, Cactii, Ceanothus, Chrysanthemum, Codaeium, Coleus, Dracenia, Ficus, Gardenia, Jasmine, Laburnum, Pelargonium, Robinia.

Cultural Control

Prune and burn all infected parts, or wash with jets of warm water, or remove with a brush. Isolate new plants and those infected.

Chemical Control

Dip the brush in Bioresmethrin, Malathion, Nicotene or Methylated Spirit, in spring or summer. With root mealybug you may spray directly, with systemic insectiside on roots.

Biological Control

Cryptolaemus montrouaieri, a predatory bettle of mealybug eats all stages.

Stage Vulnerable

Nymph