Crops Affected: Houseplants, citrus, and greenhouse production.

States Affected: AL, AZ, AR, CA, FL, HI, KS, LA, MD, MA, MO, NM, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in clumps of 5 to 20 inside egg sacs composed of white cottony-waxy filaments, and hatch in 2 to 10 days. Nymphs go through several instars, followed by a pupal stage for males and a simple molt for females. This mealybug is capable of active movement throughout its life, although only the male is winged. Mealybugs spread by crawling from tree to tree, wind, on bird’s feet, machinery, and labor crews. Citrus mealybugs overwinter primarily as eggs on the upper roots, trunk, and lower branches of the tree. The crawlers will make their way to green twigs and fruit. Later generations will develop on leaves and fruit. Greenhouse populations can live year round. There are four to six overlapping generations per year.

Damage: Mealybugs will feed on the roots, bark, foliage, and fruit. They inject a toxin into plant tissues while extracting sap resulting in defoliation, fruit discoloration, fruit splitting, and fruit drop. The buildup of honeydew and resulting sooty mold can also lead to reduced fruit quality and lowered tree vitality. Severe infestations can result in severe defoliation and fruit drop. If not removed from the fruit after harvest, the remaining mealybugs continue to cause damage to the fruit, causing loss during transit and storage. Reproduction in the greenhouse can occur year-round, leading to continuous populations of mealybugs. Damage is more severe when ants are present.

Season to Trap: Most active in summer and fall. Can be present all year.

How To Use: Hang trap with lure inside at shoulder height near at risk or affected crops. Replace lures every 30 days through the season, and replace traps when 70% saturated. Adult males are attracted to the pheromones in the lure and the color of the traps in this kit. Once they land on the sticky trap, they become ensnared, never to mate or lay eggs again.

Additional IPM Solutions: Avoid practices that destroy or disrupt native beneficial insects, and control ant populations so beneficials can attack the pests. Spinosad and horticultural oil may be used, however insecticide applications should be timed with the emergence of the first instar crawlers for the best efficacy. Insecticides can be difficult to apply effectively because mealybugs hide in crevices or between fruit, and because it is important not to disrupt the beneficial insect populations. Pruning citrus so they do not touch and equipment sanitation can prevent spreading mealybugs to new plants. High-pressure spray can be used to dislodge pests from infested plants.