MEALY BUG

These small, white, powdery-looking insects are sapsuckers that attack a wide range of plants including indoor plants, citrus and custard apples. Adults are generally 3-4 mm long. Ants can be responsible for moving them from plant to plant. The presence of mealy bugs will also encourage black sooty mould to appear on the leaves.

Suggested Organic Strategies:

• Use horticultural glues around tree trunks to aid biological control of mealy bugs, as ants defend these pests from attack by their natural enemies to maintain their supply of honeydew;

• Spraying with chemical insecticides often encourages the mealy bugs as the sprays will kill off all their natural enemies;

• Natural enemies include wasp parasitoids and ladybeetles. The adult wasps feed on nectar, planting a Good Bug Mix will help attract these 'good bugs'.

• Beneficial insects are available commercially to control this pest from Bugs for Bugs ph 07 41654663

Suggested Products:

DISCLAIMER: No liability will be accepted by Green Harvest, its owners or employees as to the accuracy of any information. No responsibility will be taken for damage to property or persons due to information given about a product or technique. No responsibility will be taken for the loss of a crop or income due to information given about a product or technique.