Tuber mealybug

While there are native mealybugs, the above are considered sap sucking pests on a range of hosts including grapes, citrus, cotton, peanuts, mangoes, passionfruit, apples, pears and stone fruit.

Like aphids, mealy bugs can cause distorted leaves and weakened plants that are covered with shiny honeydew and often, sooty mould. 

While mealy bugs can cause significant loss through sap sucking, the most significant damage relates to the secretion of honey dew which encourages the growth of sooty mould and other fungi. It is also visually undesirable, makes the fruit sticky and in some fruits, prevents the drying of fruit for dried fruit production. In grapes, mealybugs are also vectors for diseases such as leaf roll virus.

Refer to the links below for more detailed information on different mealybug species.

Being present in many Australian grape growing regions, longtailed mealybugs are generally not a major issue, but in certain circumstances can become a significant problem for vignerons.  Like scale pests, mealybug feed on the plant’s sap, excreting honeydew as a waste product. The honeydew provides a food source for ants, but also a medium for sooty mould to grow on. This sooty mould can be a contaminant in the wine production process or affect the appearance of table grapes, leading to the downgrading of fruit. Mealybugs, including longtailed mealybugs, are also found in other crops including citrus, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots, where contamination and appearance issues from sooty mould can impact fruit quality.

Refer to the links below on different mealybug species.

Citrus mealybugs are the most common and widespread of the mealybug species and as their name suggests, their main host is citrus, while other hosts include mangoes and passionfruit. Although significant economic damage is rare, they still have the potential to damage fruit.

Refer to the links below on different mealybug species.