Bug Identifier
Mealybug
Community identification

Mealybug

Pseudococcidae family

Order & Family
Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae
Size
1 mm to 4 mm in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Warm indoor environments, greenhouses, and tropical agricultural fields on host plants.

Diet & Feeding

Plant sap extracted using piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Behavior Patterns

Immobile or slow-moving females covered in a powdery white protective wax secrete honeydew that fosters sooty mold.

Risks & Benefits

Major agricultural and horticultural pests that weaken plants and spread pathogens, with no direct benefits to humans.