Citrus mealybug

Planococcus citri

1. Identification

• Common name: Citrus mealybug
• Scientific name: Planococcus citri Risso
• Order: Hemiptera
• Family: Pseudococcidae

2. Pest description

• Oval females, covered with white waxy secretions.
• Short lateral waxy filaments and discreet caudal ones.
• Mobile nymphs, yellowish, responsible for dispersal.
• Winged males, small and short‑lived.

3. Main hosts

• Citrus (orange tree, tangerine tree, lemon tree and others).
• Grapevine, fig tree, ornamentals and various tropical plants.
• Polyphagous species, with a wide range of hosts.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Waxy masses on leaves, branches and fruits.
• Abundant production of honeydew, favouring sooty mould.
• Weakening of the plant due to sap sucking.
• Commercial devaluation of the fruits.

5. Biological cycle

• Winter spent as a nymph in shelters of the plant.
• Several generations per year, favoured by warm and humid climate.
• Dispersal facilitated by ants and movement of plant material.

6. Monitoring

• Visual inspection of leaves, branches and fruits.
• Observation of honeydew and sooty mould as indirect signs.
• Identification of waxy masses and mobile nymphs.

7. Management measures

• Control of ants to reduce dispersal.
• Removal of heavily infested parts.
• Conservation of natural enemies (ladybirds, lacewings, parasitoids).
• Chemical intervention targeted at the young stages, when necessary.

Bibliographic references

• EPPO Global Database – Planococcus citri.
• CABI Invasive Species Compendium – Planococcus citri.
• Franco, J. C., Silva, E. B., & Branco, M. (2009). Cochonilhas‑farinhentas em Portugal. ISA Press.
• Daane, K. M., et al. (2012). Integrated management of mealybugs in perennial crops. Annual Review of Entomology.