Mealybugs

Mealybugs are tiny. They only get up to a 1/5 of an inch and are usually even smaller than that. They move slowly and while they're actually pink or yellow, they look like little moving whisps of white cotton. While they look fuzzy and white, the look actually comes from a waxy powder they cover themselves in for safety. It is their armor against the sun, extreme heat, predators, water and bug spray. They also use it to protect their egg sacs.

 

A full life cycle only takes about 2-2.5 months, which means many generations can occur each year. Additionally, the females lay 300-600 eggs, so mealybugs can become a big problem really fast. They thrive in warm, humid environments so Virginia is a good place for them to populate. They spread between close growing plants by crawling, they can be carried by the wind, and they can be inadvertently transplanted by gardeners moving current plants or planting newly purchased plants.

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Mealybugs are a sap-sucking pest, which means that they insert their mouthparts into the stem of a plant and suck out the sap. This is problematic for the plants in two respects. First, the plant itself becomes sick and can turn yellow and wilted, can lose it's leaves, and can stop growing or even die off entirely. Second, during this process, the mealybug secrete a sticky substance that promotes the growth of black mold and also attracts other destructive insects, such as ants. The culmination can lead to significant damage to garden plants.

 

Mealybugs are attracted to all kinds of plants. They will feast on houseplants, succulents, fruit trees, vegetable plants, ornamental and flowering plants, and even cacti. They prefer new, tender growth with soft stems. Mealybugs are also perfectly happy to live on indoor houseplants.

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To learn more about mealybugs, check out our blog post