Comstock mealybug

Pseudococcus comstocki

1. Identification

• Common name: Comstock mealybug
• Scientific name: Pseudococcus comstocki Kuwana
• Order: Hemiptera
• Family: Pseudococcidae

2. Pest description

• Oval females, covered by white waxy secretions.
• Well-developed lateral waxy filaments.
• Mobile nymphs, yellowish, responsible for the initial dispersal.
• Winged males, small and short-lived.

3. Main hosts

• Citrus, pear tree, apple tree, grapevine, fig tree and various ornamentals.
• Polyphagous species, with a wide range of hosts.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Presence of waxy masses on branches, leaves and fruits.
• Production of honeydew, favouring the development of sooty mould.
• Weakening of the plant due to the sucking of sap.
• Commercial devaluation of fruits and affected parts.

5. Biological cycle

• Winter spent as a nymph in shelters of the plant.
• Several generations per year, favoured by hot weather.
• Dispersal facilitated by ants and the 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 characteristic lateral filaments.

7. Management measures

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

Bibliographic references

• EPPO Global Database – Pseudococcus comstocki.
• CABI Invasive Species Compendium – Pseudococcus comstocki.
• Franco, J. C. et al. (2009). Mealybugs of economic importance.
• Miller, D. R. et al. (2002). Mealybugs of the world.