Mealybugs are small rounded insects related to Scale insects, aphids and whitefly. They are wingless and their bodies are often covered in a flocculent or mealy, wax-like secretion. This covering gives the insects their common name.

Mealybug feed on the sap of plants. Mealybug tends to crawl into cracks, crevices and crotches of petiole (leaf) and twigs as well as along the veins of leaves and on the buds of new growth. They suck the sap and excrete large quantities of honeydew, causes sooty mold (fungus) and attract ants. The parts of the plant sucked out by mealybug turns yellow or brown and eventually die. Mealybug infestation often occurs underneath foliage and in hidden areas within dense foliage. Heavy infestation of mealybug results in stunted and distorted new growth.

Control

There is no easy, simple, one-shot cure. When only a few are present they can be scraped off with your fingernail or dislodge them with methylated spirit. Watering plants down frequently can dislodge mealybugs. Misting will remove honeydew accumulations. For mild infestation rubbing alcohol can be used to control mealybug. Insecticidal soaps and regular washing can help limit mealybug buildup. For heavier infestations Malathion or acephate can be used. Azadirachtin (Neem) can also be used as an alternative treatment. While spraying Azadirachtin one should surely spray the underside of the leaves, where leaf mealybugs tend to cluster.