Mealybug honeydew and sooty mould on fruits

 Mealybugs live mainly on the bark of apple and pear trees. Their feeding on the sap does not cause economic damage but when they move onto the fruit, mealybugs become a major quarantine pest. They are found particularly at the calyx and stem end of the fruit.There are several species on pip-fruit in New Zealand and the Insect Key should be used to determine which one is causing the infection. Mealybugs have a characteristic waxy covering. Their sap feeding results in the excretion of honeydew, which provides a substrate for the growth of sooty mould.

To see the insect and
for more information on citrophilus mealybug, longtailed mealybug, or obscure mealybug

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