When scouting, visit infested areas last. Look for white flecks or cottony residues along the leaf midribs, on leaf or stem axils, on stem tips, on the underside of leaves and near the base of plants. Mealybugs and signs of their damage, including honeydew and sooty mold Scouting for mealybugsĪs only the short-lived winged males fly, do not rely on yellow sticky cards to detect mealybugs. They tend to be a problem when plants are grown and maintained for long periods. Some especially mealybug-prone plants include begonia, citrus, coleus, croton, dracaena, hoya, English ivy, ficus, fuchsia, stephanotis, schefflera, hibiscus, mandevilla, jade plants, palms, prayer plants and gardenia, as well as many other foliage plants.
In general, mealybugs feed upon tropical and foliage plants, spring annuals, orchids and herbaceous perennials. Mealybugs’ wide host range, high reproductive potential, waxy coating, tendency to hide in protected locations, ease of spread and ability to survive on greenhouse benches, in cracks and crevices without live plant material for two weeks, all make them very challenging to eradicate. There are even mealybugs that feed upon plant roots.Īs growers know, they are one of the most difficult greenhouse pests to control. Less common and more difficult to control is the Madeira mealybug ( Phenacoccus madeirensis). The citrus mealybug, ( Planococcus citri) and longtailed mealybug ( Pseudococcus longispinus) are two of the more common species. Mealybugs are easily recognized by their white, mealy-appearing waxy secretions covering their body. Mealybugs prefer to feed in protected areas that are hard to reach with sprays
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