Mealybugs

Small in size, mealybugs are a big problem for landscape plants. They will usually appear to the naked eye as a white fuzzy covering on the undersides of plant leaves and stems. Despite a few plant-specific names, these tiny terrors feed on a wide variety of plants, and a large infestation can kill a plant. Research suggests that biological control may be the best means of controlling mealybugs.

UF/IFAS Sites

• Are Your Mealybugs Pink?
• Featured Creatures: Papaya Mealybug
• Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Mealybugs

UF/IFAS Publications

• Citrus Mealybug
• Papaya Mealybug
• Pink Hibiscus Mealybug
• Scale Insects and Mealybugs on Ornamental Plants

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Biological Control
• Scale Insects
• Sooty Mold

Other Sites

• Bah "Mealybug"--University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
• Mealybugs--Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Mealybugs: A Common Houseplant Pest--Iowa State University Extension
• Mealybugs in California Vineyards--University of California Cooperative Extension
• Mealybugs on Orchids--South Dakota State University
• Pest Alert: The Pink Hibiscus Mealybug--U.S. Department of Agriculture (PDF)
• Sex Potion Ensnares Mealybugs--U.S. Department of Agriculture