Mealybugs are slow-moving, small, oval pests that can be incredibly difficult to get rid of. If you have a problem with mealybugs, or if you want to make sure you don't develop a problem with them, then you need to keep reading to learn how to get rid of mealybugs.

Mealybugs get their name because they are covered with a white cottony wax, giving them the appearance that they have been rolled in flour. They can be incredibly difficult to get rid of unless you know what methods to try. The following techniques have proven successful in controlling these insects.

• It is important to know the species of mealybug before making any attempt to manage them.Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management This can be difficult since there are over 200 varieties of Mealybugs.HeraldTribune.com: Mealybug Killers Think Pink (October 9, 2006)

• At some stage, mealybugs are soft, oval, flat, and covered with a white mealy wax that extends into its filaments (spines along the side of its body). Species differ in the thickness and length of its filaments.UC IPM Online: Citrus Mealybugs Males can develop into winged fly-like creatures that survive only a few days.

• Mealybugs can be divided into short-tailed and long-tailed mealybugs.
  1. Short-tailed mealybugs reproduce by laying eggs and have filaments that are no more than 1/4 the length of its body that do not vary in length.
  2. Long-tailed mealybugs give birth to nymphs (or crawlers) and have four long filaments at the tip of the abdomen that can be as long as their body.Knowledge Master: Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi

1. Flat, oval bodies that are distinctly segmented; appears smoothly dusted with white powder.UC IPM Online: Grape mealybug
2. Has well-developed wax filaments around body margin with caudal (tail) filaments that are between 1/4 to 3/4 of its body length.University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology
3. Very similar to obscure mealybugs except grape mealybugs excrete red body fluid when punctured.Mealybugs (Pseudococcus)
4. Found on grapes as well as apple, pear, apricot, and pomegranate trees and some vegetables.University of California Cooperative Extension: Grape Mealybug Univerity of Georgia: Insects

• YouTube: Grape Mealybug - Orchard Pest

1. Most common species of mealybug.UC IPM Online: Citrus Mealybugs

2. Has a pinkish body with well-developed wax filaments around its body margin with caudal (tail) filaments that are less than 1/4 the length of its body. UC IPM Online: Citrus Mealybugs University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

3. Similar to the vine mealybug.University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

4. Has a heavy even covering of white powdery wax except for a narrow gap down the middle.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Foliar-Feeding Mealybugs on Floriculture and Ornamental Nurseries

5. Has a stripe in middle of back.University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

1. Has four long terminal wax filaments that are parallel to the axis of the body.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Foliar-Feeding Mealybugs on Floriculture and Ornamental Nurseries

2. Caudal (tail) filaments are longer than 3/4 its body length and has well defined dorsal stripes.University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

3. Has a stripe in the middle of its back and well defined dorsal stripes.University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

4. Very low tolerance to temperature ranges, but has a wide host range.University of California Cooperative Extension: Longtailed Mealybug

5. Feeds on avocados, asparagus, avocado, begonia, palms, coffee, citrus, gardenia, hibiscus, lilies, macadamia, mango, orchids, philodendron, bromeliads, potato, sugar cane, soybeans and many other plants.Knowledge Master: Pseudococcus longispinus

1. Body is a blue-gray color.Univerity of Georgia: Insects

2. Similar to the citrus mealybug but has four rows of thinly waxed depressions down its back.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Foliar-Feeding Mealybugs on Floriculture and Ornamental Nurseries

3. It has a short tail and lateral filaments that are 1/4 length of its body.University of Florida: Mexican Mealybugs

1. Has well-developed wax filaments around body margin with caudal (tail) filaments that are between 1/4 to 3/4 of its body length.University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

2. Very similar to grape mealybugs except obscure mealybugs excrete a clear body fluid when punctured.University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

3. Very low tolerance to temperature ranges, but has a wide host range.University of California Cooperative Extension: Longtailed Mealybug

1. Has a smooth reddish-brown body and pink-to-red body fluid.Greenhouse Product News: Biological Control of Pink Hibiscus Mealybugs

2. Lacks distinct waxy filaments.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Longtailed Mealybug on Avocado

3. Feeds on more than 200 kinds of plants including beans, chrysanthemum, citrus, coconut, coffee, cotton, corn, cucumber, grape, guava, hibiscus, peanuts, pumpkin, rose, and mulberry.The Bugwood Network: Watch Out for the Pink Hibiscus Mealybug

1. Very small with distinct segments and a pinkish body.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Vine Mealybug on Grape

2. Has shorter waxy filaments and a smaller body than the Pseudococcus mealybug.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Vine Mealybug on Grape

3. Has well-developed wax filaments around its body margin with caudal (tail) filaments that are less than 1/4 the length of its body. Similar to the citrus mealybug. University of California Cooperative Extension: Mealybug ID & General Biology

4. Causes damage to raisin, table or wine grapes.University of California Cooperative Extension: Vine Mealybug

5. Reproduces at a higher rate than other mealybugs.Practical Winery & Vineyard: Formidable pest spreading through California Vineyards

1. Comstock Mealybug (Pseudococcus comstocki)UC IPM Online: Citrus Mealybugs

2. Exotic Palmicultor Mealybugs (Palmicultor browni, P. palmorum, and P. lumpurensis)University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

3. Gray Pineapple Mealybug (Dysmicoccus neobrevipes) Knowledge Master: Dysmicoccus neobrevipes

4. Gill's Mealybug (Ferrisia gilli)UC IPM Online: Ipm Programs Being Developed for New Mealybug Plaguing Pistachio Growers

5. Green or Madeira Mealybug (Phenacoccus madeiresis )University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

6. Ground Mealybug (Rhizoecus kondonis)UC IPM Online: Ground Mealybug on Alfalfa

7. Hypogeococcus pungensUniversity of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

8. Jack Beardsley Mealybug (Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi)Knowledge Master: Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi

9. Papaya Mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus)University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

10. Pineapple Mealybug (Dysmicoccus brevipes)Knowledge Master: Dysmicoccus brevipes

11. Rhizoecus Root Mealybug (Rhizoecus hibisci)Knowledge Master: Rhizoecus hibisci

12. Rhodesgrass Mealybug (Antonina graminis)NC State University Cooperative Extension: Rhodesgrass Mealybug

13. Striped Mealybug (Ferrisia virgata)University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

14. Solanum Mealybug (Pseudococcus solani)University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

15. Solenopsis Mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis)University of Florida: Lance Osborne: Mealybugs

• Prevention is the best way to handle mealybugs. Here are some ways how you can try to keep mealybugs out of your home and garden:

1. Inspect any recently purchase plants.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
2. Dispose of plant cuttings immediately because mealybugs can survive on these cuttings.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
3. Clean pots thoroughly and inspect for mealybugs, eggs and crawlers.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
4. Do not over-fertilize with nitrogen.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
5. Do not use fiber filler material between pots in planters because they can harbor crawlers and eggs.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
6. Remove infested plants immediately.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
7. Move excess soil and compost piles away from growing areas to prevent an alternative infestation site for mealybugs.University of Wisconsin-Extension: Mealybugs
8. Keep area free of weeds which can serve as host plants.Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management

• Because higher populations of mealybugs are more difficult to control it is important that you regularly monitor for mealybugs. That way you can start control practices as soon as you detect mealybugs .Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management

1. You should check new growth and underneath leaves once a week for crawlers and or egg masses.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
2. Sticky pheromone traps can be used to monitor for winged adult males.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Vine Mealybug on Grape
3. Look for honeydew and sooty mold that is often present with mealybugs rather than the mealybugs themselves.Western Farm Press: Mealybugs as Virus Vector More Important in Cooler Climates
4. Dogs are being trained to sniff out mealybug infestations in order to catch them in their early stages.Pressdemocrat.com: Dogs Sniffing Out Pest on Grapevines (February 26, 2006)

• YouTube: Nell Imprinting on Vine Mealybugs (Time: 0:58)

• Small populations of mealybugs can be controlled using various physical methods, which remove and kill them.

1. Flushing mealybugs off leaves with water can provide immediate relief but will simply displace the mealybugs.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
2. You can rub off and crush colonies with a cloth.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
3. Mealybugs can also be removed with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or fingernail polish remover.NC State University: Mealybugs
4. Heavily infested plants should be discarded.Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management
5. Prune infested tissue off infested plants.Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management

• Neem oil, horticultural oil and insecticidal soaps are often regarded as "organic" or non-chemical methods, but this is not entirely accurate. However, they are safer than insecticides. They won't provide absolute control over mealybugs but can drastically reduce their populations.South Dakota State University: Mealybugs on Orchids

• Neem has natural insecticidal properties but is biodegradable and non-toxic. It works by making the leaves unpalatable to mealybugs.Doctor Optimara: Leaf Mealy Bugs
  1. Spray like other contact insecticides.Doctor Optimara: Leaf Mealy Bugs
  2. Make sure you cover the undersides of all leaves.Doctor Optimara: Leaf Mealy Bugs

• Horticultural oils are petroleum distillates.South Dakota State University: Mealybugs on Orchids
  1. Apply horticultural oils (if not phytotoxic) underneath leaves, on pots and areas surrounding plants.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/insects/plantscape/mealybugs.htm Mealybugs
  2. Do not apply to plants when temperature is greater than 85°F or in direct sunlight.South Dakota State University: Mealybugs on Orchids

• Insecticidal soaps are a solution of synthetic pyrethroids mixed with a mild detergent made from petroleum products.South Dakota State University: Mealybugs on Orchids
  1. Apply insecticidal soaps (if not phytotoxic) underneath leaves, on pots and areas surrounding plants.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
  2. May be used on greenhouse vegetables.Ohio Floriculture Online: Mealybugs Can be used by homeowners.NC State University: Mealybugs

• Pesticides can provide short-term control, but are not recommended for long term control because mealybugs often persist in hard-to-reach areas.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs Mealybugs are most most susceptible to chemicals when it is in its crawler stage.Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management

1. Wait at least two weeks after using pesticides before releasing biological control agents.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
2. Sprays need to be high volume wet sprays in order to penetrate the waxy coating that protects mealybugs.Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Insect and Arthropod Pest Identification and Management
3. It may take a series of applications at 10 to 14 day intervals to control mealybugs.Ohio Floriculture Online: Mealybugs
4. Do not use the same pesticide or pesticide combination more than three times in a row.Ohio Floriculture Online: Mealybugs

• NOTE: Application rates were not included in this table, but recommendations for applying these chemicals are often provided on the referenced sites. Some brands may only be available to commercial greenhouses.

• Predators of mealybugs include Cecidomyiid flies, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, spiders, ladybugs and the infamous mealybug destroyers. For predators to work, you must be willing to tolerate a low level infestation as a food source.*University of Wisconsin-Extension: Mealybugs Predators can often be purchased online or through mail order catalogs. For best results, make several small releases over a period of time instead of making one large release.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs

• The most effective predator of the mealybug is a type of lady beetle (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) known as the mealybug destroyer.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Mealybugs (Pseudococcus) on Grape In its short two month lifespan, it can eat from 3,000 to 5,000 mealybugs.Greenhouse Product News: Biological Control of Pink Hibiscus Mealybugs

1. Adult mealybug destroyers are small dark brown a tan or orange head.Cornell University Biological Control: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri - Mealybug Destroyer
2. Mealybug destroyer larvae closely resemble mealybugs.Cornell University Biological Control: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri - Mealybug Destroyer
3. It will attacks citrus, longtailed and closely related mealybugs.Cornell University Biological Control: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri - Mealybug Destroyer
4. It feeds on all stages of mealybug and the honeydew they excrete.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
5. It cannot survive cold winters and will need to be reintroduced in the spring.Cornell University Biological Control: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri - Mealybug Destroyer
6. They are recommended for indoor use because they stay on the undersides of leaves where they remain unnoticed.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs

• YouTube: Mealy-bug Destroyer (0:20)

• Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles, is one of the most visible and well known predatory insect. There are over 450 species of lady bugs in North America.Cornell University Biological Control: Lady Beetles

1. All American species of ladybugs are known to feed on mealybugs except the Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis Mulsant) and the squash beetle (Epilachna borealis).NC State University Cooperative Extension: Lady Beetles
2. They will also feed on aphids, scale insects, spider mites, and other harmful plant pests.NC State University Cooperative Extension: Lady Beetles
3. The Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) is considered a pest because it is known to congregate in large numbers inside houses and may be displacing native species.NC State University Cooperative Extension: Lady Beetles
4. Do not purchase beetles from distant areas and have them shipped. They can be less effective at eating local pests.Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Lady Beetle
5. Convergent lady beetles (Hippodamia convergens) often fly away from gardens after being released.Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Lady Beetle
6. Release lady beetles in the evening when the weather is cool.NC State University Cooperative Extension: Lady Beetles
7. Sprinkle the area with water before releasing the beetles.Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Lady Beetle
8. Use pesticides sparingly to avoid killing off ladybugs.Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Lady Beetle
9. Growing pollen and vector flowers, such as angelica and dill, along with grains are known to attract ladybugs.Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Lady Beetle

• Parasitoids do not eat mealybugs, but rather lay eggs inside mealybug crawlers.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs Species of wasps known to attack mealybugs include Anagyrus kamali, Gyranusoidea indica and Anagyrus pseudococci.HeraldTribune.com: Mealybug Killers Think Pink (October 9, 2006) Practical Winery & Vineyard: Formidable pest spreading through California Vineyards

1. For best results, make several small releases over a period of time instead of making one large release.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
2. They are often more efficient at reducing mealybug populations.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
3. Encyrtids and aphelinids are tiny stingless wasps.Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Mealybugs
4. Release parasitoids early in the season for best results.Practical Winery & Vineyard: Formidable pest spreading through California Vineyards
5. You should get approximately 20,000 parasitoids per acre.Practical Winery & Vineyard: Formidable pest spreading through California Vineyards
6. Anagyrus pseudococci is one of the few biological controls that will attack vine mealybugs.UC IPM Online: UC Management Guidelines for Vine Mealybug on Grape

• Mealybugs do not have ruin your garden and plants provided you are vigilant about looking for them. Once you learn what to look for, it will be easier to prevent problems with mealybugs in the future.