Mealybug

Indoor houseplants and warm-climate outdoor vegetation, thriving in humid, sheltered areas.

Plant sap extracted by piercing plant tissues with stylet mouthparts.

Immobile or slow-moving females secrete a protective, powdery white wax covering. They reproduce rapidly and form dense colonies on stems and leaves.

They weaken plants, cause leaf drop, and secrete sticky honeydew that fosters sooty mold growth. They are purely agricultural and horticultural pests with no direct benefits.