Mealybugs also called “woolly aphids”, include many species with a wide range of host plants. Mealybugs are soft-bodied, white cotton-like structured insects. They will be found to stem, Flower buds, and especially a new growth of a plant which sucks the sap from the plants.  These insects will have a waxy secretion that protects them from contact insecticides.

How to Identify A Mealybug Infestation?

1.The plant is covered with small, white-to-grey insects with a cottony or woolly covering close to the soil or near the growing tips.

2.Honeydew is present on plant surfaces, with or without sooty mold. Infested plants may have a distorted stem and/or new growth.

3. Reduced plant growth and health overall after mealybugs have been identified.

4 Ants presence near new growth to harvest honeydew.

CONTROLLING MEALY BUGS

Mealybugs are controlled in a different method. They are lifted as below 

Natural Methods:

1.Spray Neem oil combined with a pinch of Soap powder or Shampoo diluted in 1 liter of water.

2.Spray with Accon double effect 3gm powder and 3ml liquid diluted in 1 liter of water.

Spray with Accon plus 2ml diluted in in 1 litre of water. 

2.Cultural method of control

• Remove /prune affected branches or shoots, leaves or flowers, as needed.

• Discard the infected plants and keep away from the healthy ones.

• remove old and basal leaves as they encourage more pests and diseases

• remove the cotyledon leaves.

.Give pressurized water spray for sucking type of insects without affecting plant

3.Biological Methods of Control 

Release of Predators like Ladybird beetle, Lacewing bugs, and Praying mantid which eats up on all the stages of Mealybugs.

WRITTEN BY

Suma.T.D

JR.Reasearch associate

Bsc (Agriculture)