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Popular Insects
Citrus mealybug

Citrus mealybug

Planococcus citri

A species of Planococcus

Mealybugs are sexually dimorphic. The adult female citrus mealybug is about 3 mm (0.12 in) long with a white, brownish, or pink body covered in white wax. The edges of the body are lined with waxy filaments. It has a light gray longitudinal line down its back. Its legs and antennae are brown. The adult female lacks wings and resembles a nymph. The adult male is slightly larger, has long wax filaments on the posterior end of the body, and has functional wings. In flight the male resembles a gnat. The female deposits masses of eggs on plants. The masses, known as ovisacs, are covered in fluffy, cottony layers of wax filaments. The ovisac can contain up to 20 shiny yellowish, pink, or amber eggs each about 0.3 mm (0.012 in) long. The first-instar nymph is called a crawler. It is yellowish with red eyes and has a wax coating. Crawlers are active and gregarious. The female nymph resembles the adult female, while the male nymph is longer and narrower. As they develop, the female nymph progresses through more instars than the male, and the male undergoes a pre-pupal stage. The male constructs a cottony cocoon for pupation, and the female does not. The citrus mealybug looks very similar to the vine mealybug (Planococcus ficus), and the two species are mainly distinguished by the arrangement of pores and tubular ducts on the tiny body of the female. This similarity can pose a problem in agriculture. For example, when growers are ready to attempt biological pest control of either mealybug, the use of molecular analysis is recommended to confirm the identity of the species so an appropriate parasitoid can be employed.

General Info About Citrus mealybug
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Attributes of Citrus mealybug
Adult Food Sources
Citrus plant sap, ornamental plant sap, greenhouse plant sap, indoor potted plant sap, various crops\u2019 sap
Larva Food Source
Citrus plant sap, ornamental plant sap, greenhouse plant sap, indoor potted plant sap, various crops\u2019 sap
Biting/stinging
Not reported
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Defensive attack
Not reported
Venomous
Not reported
Non-poisonous
Not reported
Borer
Not reported
Pollinator
Not reported
Pest-Eating Predatory
Not reported
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Predators of Citrus mealybug Larvae
Frogs and toads, birds, jumping spiders, lady beetles, lacewings, hoverflies
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Predators of Adult Citrus mealybug
Birds, predatory insects such as ants and wasps, lady beetles, lacewings, hoverflies
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Interesting Facts About Citrus mealybug
Citrus mealybug can communicate with each other using vibrational signals transmitted through plant stems and leaves.
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Scientific Classification of Citrus mealybug
Tips for Finding Citrus mealybug
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Youth Habitat of Citrus mealybug
Agricultural and Cultivated Areas, Urban and Suburban Areas, Tropical Rainforests, Orchards and Vineyards
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Habitat Preferences of Citrus mealybug Through Different Life Stages
Eggs of citrus mealybug are typically found on the underside of leaves or hidden in crevices on the host plant. Nymphs, after hatching, stay on the plant, feeding on sap and often found in protected areas such as leaf axils or under bark. Adult females remain sedentary, attaching themselves to parts of the plant with ample food supply, like stems or leaves. To locate these stages, one must inspect the host plants carefully, looking in concealed spots for eggs, along stems and leaf veins for nymphs, and on the undersides of leaves or twigs for adult females. Adult males are rarely seen as they are short-lived and do not feed.
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Harmful Effects of Citrus mealybug
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Agricultural Pests

Adults and nymphs of citrus mealybug feed on plant fluids, primarily impacting citrus, grapes, and other fruits. They weaken plants, reduce yields, and can cause leaf drop. In high numbers, citrus mealybug can lead to sooty mold growth, further hindering photosynthesis and potentially impacting human health via infected crop consumption.

More Effects of Citrus mealybug

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