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Latin Name: Hypogeococcus pungens
Common Name: Cactus mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:This insect is native to South America but has been introduced into the southern U.S. and in Hawaii. It also has been deliberately introduced to Australia where it is a biological control for cactus considered to be serious pest plants in that country.
Biology:
Despite its name this species of mealybug infests not only cactus in the family Cactaceae, but also other plants such as khakiweed, purslane, pigweed, and pusley. It is only occasionally found infesting ornamental cactus in the U.S., and its value as a biological control for pest cactus is well known.
Identification:Mature females are oval and about 3 mm in length, and are lacking the lateral filaments typical of many other mealybugs. They are white to pinkish in color and produce a red fluid when pierced or crushed.
Latin Name: Planococcus citri
Common Name: Citrus Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Currently found in both Europe and North America, and known from Europe 50 years prior to its discovery in the U.S., so possibly European in origin.
Biology:
Two forms of this serious pest occur, one that attacks the roots of plants and one that attacks the foliage. When the roots are attacked it encourages a crusty growth of fungus that the mealybugs may be living under, and root attack can kill the roots and cause death of the plant. The insect is a vector of some plant pathogens. The female deposits eggs in clumps and covers them with a waxy film, laying an average of 300 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs hatch in 2-10 days. Males undergo 4 instars, and develop to a winged adult is just over 3 weeks. Females go through 3 instar stages, and become the non-winged adult in about
Latin Name: Ehrhornia cupressi
Common Name: Cypress Bark Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Uncertain, but possibly native to the western U.S.
Biology:
This mealybug infests cypress, cedars, and junipers, and may be found in both forested and landscaped habitats. It can be a serious pest of ornamental cypress but is of little importance in forests. There is a single generation per year in the western U.S., with the insects living beneath the crevices of bark on the trunks and branches, where they exude a white wax coating over themselves.
Identification:The female grows to about 2 mm in length, is broadly oval, and pinkish to bright red in body color. They may be detected by the presence of the white cottony fibers protruding from areas of the bark and surrounding the insects on the surface where they are active.
Characteristicts Important
Latin Name: Dysmicoccus ryani
Common Name: Cypress Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Likely native to the western U.S., and found in California.
Biology:
Principally a pest of cypress trees, but occasionally on juniper and other ornamentals as well. Biology typical of mealybugs. Females deposit eggs on the bark and protect them with layers of wax. Development to the female adult takes about 40 days and females live several months. Males develop more quickly and die immediately after mating. Large clusters of the nymphs and females may be found on infested areas of the trees as they feed in the phloem area of the foliage and green stems.
Identification:A small and stubby shaped mealybug as the adult female, with a reddish-orange body color and covered with a layer of white powdery wax. The wax filaments along the margins are very short, and only 2 short
Latin Name: Pseudococcus aurilanatus
Common Name: Golden Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Native to Australia, but now occurring in other parts of the world where its host trees have been imported as ornamentals.
Biology:
This conspicuous mealybug is very host specific, being found almost exclusively on Norfolk Island Pine in the western U.S., although it will attack a few other kinds of plants. It produces large amounts of honeydew, leading to heavy growth of black sooty mold on the foliage of the plants. Mealybugs favor warm, humid conditions, and will have multiple and overlapping generations under favorable conditions. The female deposits eggs in clumps and covers them with a waxy film, laying an average of 300 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs hatch in 2-10 days. Males undergo 4 instars, and develop to a winged adult is just over 3 weeks. Females go through
Latin Name: Pseudococcus adonidum
Common Name: Long-tailed Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Possibly native to the Australian region, but now found throughout the world.
Biology:
This species attacks an extremely wide range of plant hosts. In Hawaii it is a pest of pineapple, mango, macadamia, orchids, bromeliads, palm coffee, citrus, and sugar cane, among other plants. In other states it may be found on virtually any kind of plant, both indoors or outdoors in mild climates. Females deposit exposed eggs singly or in small batches, with up to 240 eggs per female possible. Eggs hatch almost immediately and once they begin feeding the first instar nymphs exude a white wax that coats their bodies. In the second instar stage males complete their feeding and settle down to molt to the adult stage. Females undergo 3 instars before becoming an adult, and about 1
Latin Name: Pseudococcus viburni
Common Name: Obscure Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: Leaf mealybug, Tuber mealybug
Pest Details
Origin:Uncertain origin, but possibly from either South America or Australia, and introduced into the U.S. in the late 19th century.
Biology:
A serious pest of grape vines, and often confused with the closely related Grape Mealybug. It also infests pear and apple trees, and with the potential to vector certain plant pathogens can be damaging to the plants. It has caused substantial damage to vineyards in California. Like most mealybugs the male and female are dramatically different, the male having wings and looking more like a fly, while the female is wingless, flattened, covered with white wax and remaining mobile but on the plants. Males do not feed and die immediately after mating, while females may live for several months. Egg laying may go on throughout
Latin Name: Maconellicoccus hirsutus
Common Name: Pink hibiscus mealybug
Other Names: Pink mealybug, Hibiscus mealybug
Pest Details
Origin:This mealybug is native to Southeast Asia but was discovered in the Caribbean in 1994 and in Florida in 2002, and it continues to expand its range in the U.S. It also now is found in Africa, Australia, and South America.
Biology:
Despite its common name this insect poses a serious threat to a great many plants, including crops such as citrus, avocado, mango, sugarcane, beans, cabbage, tomato and many others, as well as a wide variety of ornamental plants including palm, oleander, and others. Females lay up to 600 eggs in sacs on the host plants. The life cycle from egg to adult takes less than 1 month and up to 15 generations are possible in one year in warm climates. The overwintering stage is the eggs that may be found almost anywhere on or near the plants, including in crevices in the bark,
Latin Name: Ferrisia virgata
Common Name: Striped Mealybug
Latin Family Name: Pseudococcidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Uncertain, as it is found commonly throughout the world in warm climates. However, since 10 species in the genus Ferrisia are found in the U.S. it is believed that this species may be native to North America.
Biology:
This species attacks a wide variety of crops and ornamental plants, and is found throughout the warmer climates in the U.S. as well as Hawaii and most of the Pacific region. It feeds on all parts of a plant including the roots, particularly in dry weather when the soil provides needed moisture. The insects are mobile, but tend to remain in localized groups so that large populations accumulate together. Females produce living nymphs next to them and their young often develop in the same general location. Development from egg to adult is about 40 days.
Identification:Latin Name: Homalodisca vitripennis
Common Name: Glassy Winged Sharpshooter
Latin Family Name: Cicadellidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Native to the southeastern U.S., but introduced to California and other southwest states in the 1990’s where it potentially may be destructive to vineyards and other crops and ornamental plantings.
Biology:
As a leafhopper the GWSS feeds by piercing plant tissues with its proboscis, and removing plant fluids. In the process of feeding it may inoculate the plants with a bacterium called Xylella fastidiosa, which causes devastating diseases in a variety of plants, such as Pierce’s Disease of grapes or Leaf Scorch of almonds, oleander, or mulberry. It is capable of feeding on hundreds of different crop and ornamental plants, including citrus, oaks, and maples. At the time of writing there is no cure for the disease once introduced into the plant. In temperate climates there