#Mealy bugs full#
Since these formulas are contact killers and they do not persist in the environment, several applications may be needed for full control.
#Mealy bugs how to#
Please check out our mealybug control products for more details about how they work and how, when, where they should be applied.īefore using any insecticidal soap, it is important that you carefully read and follow all directions on the product label to find out how to use the product safely and effectively. Safer ® Brand offers a variety of mealybug control products to help control and eliminate this garden pest and revive your plants.
Insecticidal soaps work at penetrating the mealybug’s outer layer, causing this pest to dehydrate and die. Safer ® Insect Killing Soap is made from potassium salt of fatty acids. In addition, insecticidal soaps can be very effective when combined with natural predators of the mealybug. Safer ® Insect Killing Soap may be useful in greenhouses and when control is desired that will not harm the environment. Since the mealybug secretes a waxy substance that it uses to protect itself, its eggs, and the young nymphs, it is often difficult to find an effective chemical control that will penetrate the substance. Plants can die if the infestation is large. The honeydew left by the mealybugs may bring sooty mold fungus to the plant. Stunted plants will not be able to fully produce fruit or leaves. Fruit that drops prematurely is inedible and unmarketable. This is a result of the mealybugs, in both the nymph and adult stages, sucking the juices of the plant and feeding on any tender young growth. Yellowing, withering and falling leaves, prematurely dropping fruit, and stunted plant growth may indicate the presence of the mealybug. They are more common in warm, moist climates but they seem to be able to flourish in greenhouses in all regions. Mealybugs can be found on potatoes, fruit crops, ornamental plants, citrus plants and tropical plants. Certain species of mealybugs are more prevalent in specific regions of the United States. Mealybugs can be found throughout North America. There can be several generations in a year, which can be particularly frustrating for greenhouses with infestations of mealybugs. They will develop into adults in about 1-2 months. The hatchlings are known as "crawlers" because they crawl to a spot where they can feed and continue to mature. The female mealybug deposits her eggs in a cotton-like pouch and they hatch in a little over a week. In the citrus mealybug, the male is not necessary for reproduction, while in the long-tailed mealybug, the male is necessary for reproduction to take place.
Mealybug nymphs look like an identical, much smaller version of the adults. Male mealybugs live only a short period of time and do not feed, they exist only to reproduce. The male mealybug is an extremely small insect having two wings. The secretion of this waxy material helps to protect their eggs and nymphs from the elements. Their bodies are covered with a waxy material. What's a Mealybug?Īdult female mealybugs have soft bodies which range from 1/10" to 1/4" in length. Prematurely dropping fruit and stunted plant growth may indicate the presence of the mealybug.
0 kommentar(er)
