Long-tailed mealybug

Pseudococcus longispinus

1. Identification

• Common name: Long-tailed mealybug
• Scientific name: Pseudococcus longispinus Targioni‑Tozzetti
• Order: Hemiptera
• Family: Pseudococcidae

2. Pest description

• Oval females, covered by white waxy secretions.
• Very long caudal filaments, characteristic of the species.
• Mobile nymphs, yellowish, with lateral waxy filaments.
• Winged males, small and short-lived.

3. Main hosts

• Citrus, grapevine, fig tree, ornamentals and various tropical plants.
• Polyphagous, with great capacity for adaptation to different hosts.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Presence of waxy masses and evident caudal filaments.
• Abundant production of honeydew, favouring 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 and humid 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.
• Verification of the presence of long caudal filaments, distinctive of the species.

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 longispinus.
• CABI Invasive Species Compendium – Pseudococcus longispinus.
• Daane, K. M. et al. (2012). Integrated management of mealybugs in perennial crops.
• Franco, J. C. et al. (2009). Mealybugs of economic importance.