The Papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Williams & Granara de Willink, 1992) is a soft insect pest belonging to the Order Hemiptera and Family Pseudococcidae. The term “mealybug” is derived from the mealy or waxy secretions that cover the bodies of these insects. Papaya mealybug is native to Central America.
What is papaya mealy bug?
The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a small polyphagous sucking insect with pest status that attacks several genera of host plants, including economically important tropical fruits, vegetables and ornamentals.
How do you control papaya mealybugs?
Several soap or oil sprays will be needed to bring the mealybugs under control. It is essential that the underside of leaves, stems, and the surface of fruits are sprayed thoroughly. It is best to spray between 4 and 6 pm to minimise the chance of leaves becoming sunburnt.
What causes mealybug?
Mealybugs are attracted to plants with high nitrogen levels and soft growth; they may appear if you overwater and over-fertilize your plants.
What are the symptoms of mealybugs?
Symptoms of mealybug feeding include stunting, chlorosis, defoliation, and wilting. Because mealybugs feed on sugary plant juices (photosynthates), their waste contains a high sugar content and is referred to as honeydew.
How do you control mealy bugs?
On small infestations on houseplants, a 70% or less solution of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol in water may be dabbed directly on mealybugs with a cotton swab to kill them or remove them. Test the solution out on a small part of the plant 1 to 2 days beforehand to make sure it does not cause leaf burn (phytotoxicity).
What is the best pesticide for mealybugs?
THE BEST MEALYBUG SPRAY ^ No doubt the best mealybug spray is PROTHOR. This concentrate is both odorless and water based making it very safe for use on any non-edible house or yard plant.
How do I protect my papaya from insects?
To prevent them from laying eggs, protect the fruit as it ripens. Use paper bags or my favorite, knee-high stockings, to cover each fruit when young. You will have to throw away your infected fruit, but protect the ones that don’t have maggots and start covering the fruit earlier next year.
Can I use neem oil on papaya tree?
You can spray neem oil or dust with sulfur or other suitable miticides to control the mites.
What insects eat papaya leaves?
Papaya: Insect, Mite and Nematode Pests Management
- Papaya mealybug.
- Whitefly.
- Aphid.
- Red Spider mite.
- Fruit fly.
- Grasshopper.
- Reniform nematode.
- Root knot nematode.
Are mealy bugs harmful?
These pests harm plants by piercing the plant’s leaves and stems and drinking their sap, which leads to wilting and yellowed leaves. Mealybug honeydew, the pests’ sticky waste, also causes mold growth on plants and attracts other insect pests. Mealybugs do not bite or spread disease to humans.
Are mealybugs harmful to plants?
Mealybugs damage plants by sucking sap and their feeding can result in yellowing leaves, stunting, dieback or death of the plants. They secrete honeydew that supports the growth of black sooty mold on plant parts.
Do mealy bugs spread?
Mealybugs can easily crawl from one plant to another, especially when leaves or branches overlap, so one contaminated plant could spread mealybugs to all your houseplants. Check under leaves, in new leaf folds, and around the growing tips for signs of infestation.
How long do mealy bugs live?
2 to 3 weeks
Mealybugs can live for 2 to 3 weeks without hosts. Power washing the greenhouse between crops is helpful to remove mealybugs hiding in cracks and crevices.
Is mealybug a fungus?
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are among the most serious pests of greenhouse plants. Infested plants look unsightly because of the whitish cottony mass of insects and the black sooty mold fungus that develops on honeydew excretions.
Do mealybugs live in soil?
Mealybugs can live in the soil of a houseplant, so if a plant is plagued by recurring infestations, you could try removing the top inch of dirt from the pot and replacing it with fresh potting soil.
What kills mealybugs in the soil?
While many plant pesticides will kill mealybugs, the best solution I’ve found to kill them is 70% isopropyl alcohol. Many people recommend using q-tips to dab on the alcohol, but I’ve found that a spray bottle is much more effective and easier to use.
How do mealy bugs spread from plant to plant?
But how do mealybugs spread? Well, once you have mealybugs on a plant at home, they can easily spread through contact with other plants. This is especially true if you have a lot of houseplants bunched together with some overlap.
What do mealybugs look like in soil?
Soil Mealy Bugs are tiny white or gray insects, resembling small grains of rice, are visible on the surface of the rootball. You may also see these insects on top of the soil, gathered around the main stem. If this is the case, infestation is probably heavy. (Do not confuse Soil Mealy Bugs with Symphylans.
Can vinegar get rid of mealybugs?
Take 1 ounce of apple cider vinegar and mix it with 2-3 ounces of water. Pour this liquid into a garden sprayer and spray in the evening. Apple cider vinegar stops the molting process of mealybugs, and will also help to kill the majority of pests on the plants.
How often should you treat for mealybugs?
Best of all, it’s non-toxic to birds, animals, and many beneficial insects. Repeat application in 7 days intervals until the mealybug is no longer present.