Mealybug

Question 1

Glasshouse mealybug

Description

Answer 1

Small sap sucking insect, produces white fluffy wax.
Winged males are in minority.
Females are wingless, flat oval bodies, 4mm in length.
Pink in colour but appear white due to wax seceretions

Question 2

Mealybug - description of colonies

Answer 2

Develop on leaves, stems, flowers and fruits of plants.
Consist off egg masses, juveniles and adults clustered together and protected within a mass of wax filaments produced by adult mealy bug.

Question 3

Mealybug - hosts and introduction.

Answer 3

Glasshouse ornamentals.
Warm locations outdoors.
Introduced in newly purchased plants

Question 4

Mealybug - symptoms

Answer 4

Congregate in clusters upon stems and leaves, particularly at nodes.
Identified by powdery white masses.
Eggs laid in clusters, covered in protective down..
Sticky honeydew accumulates through feeding.

Question 5

Mealybug - damage

Answer 5

Infested plants lack vigour.
Plants become wilted and stunted.
Dehydrated plants can loose leaves.
Can attack roots. 
Honeydew leads to growth of sooty mould.