Bug Identifier
Mealybug
Community identification

Mealybug

Pseudococcidae

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 outdoor tropical plants.

Diet & Feeding

Sap from plant phloem, extracted using piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Behavior Patterns

Immobile on plant stems or leaves, secreting a protective white powdery wax layer.

Risks & Benefits

Major agricultural pest causing yellowing leaves and plant decline, while excreting sticky honeydew that promotes sooty mold.