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Planococcus citri

Common name: Citrus mealybug

Description:

The adult female is elongate-oval and superficially woodlouse-like with distinct body segmentation. Body is pinkish-grey coated with white flocculent wax,2-4,5mm long with a fringe of short waxen filaments. Eggs are laid within cottonwool-like ovisacs. There are several generations annually and all stages are very active, producing considerable quantities of honedew.

Symptoms:

Leaves: Presence of cottonwool-like insect, secretion of honeydew, development of sooty moulds, contamination of foliage, leaves may turn yellow and wilt, weakened plants

Stem: Presence of cottonwool-like insect, secretion of honeydew, development of sooty moulds

Fruits: Presence of cottonwool-like insect, secretion of honeydew, development of sooty moulds, contamination of fruits, unmarketable fruits

Hosts: Citrus, grapevine, pomegranate

Taxonomy:
Kingdom Animalia
Class Insecta
Order Hemiptera
Family Pseudococcidae
Genus Planococcus
Species citri
References:

Alford D. V. (2014). Pests of Fruit Crops. A Colour Handbook, CRC Press, 2nd Edition