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    Palm Mealybug - 5 - 2014PressQ

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    Shane Dorian
    Palm mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that feed on plant juices and excrete honeydew, causing sooty mold growth that reduces photosynthesis. They can infest many ornamental and fruit plants. To manage palm mealybugs, farmers should monitor plants for signs of infestation. If found, they can use targeted pesticides or hot water treatments to kill the mealybugs before shipping plants. Close inspection is still needed to prevent spreading the insects.

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    Palm Mealybug - 5 - 2014PressQ

    Uploaded by

    Shane Dorian
    22 views2 pages
    Palm mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that feed on plant juices and excrete honeydew, causing sooty mold growth that reduces photosynthesis. They can infest many ornamental and fruit plants. To manage palm mealybugs, farmers should monitor plants for signs of infestation. If found, they can use targeted pesticides or hot water treatments to kill the mealybugs before shipping plants. Close inspection is still needed to prevent spreading the insects.

    Original Description:

    Treating Mealy Bugs in Palm Tree

    Original Title

    Palm mealybug_5_2014PressQ

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    Palm mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that feed on plant juices and excrete honeydew, causing sooty mold growth that reduces photosynthesis. They can infest many ornamental and fruit plants. To manage palm mealybugs, farmers should monitor plants for signs of infestation. If found, they can use targeted pesticides or hot water treatments to kill the mealybugs before shipping plants. Close inspection is still needed to prevent spreading the insects.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    22 views2 pages

    Palm Mealybug - 5 - 2014PressQ

    Uploaded by

    Shane Dorian
    Palm mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that feed on plant juices and excrete honeydew, causing sooty mold growth that reduces photosynthesis. They can infest many ornamental and fruit plants. To manage palm mealybugs, farmers should monitor plants for signs of infestation. If found, they can use targeted pesticides or hot water treatments to kill the mealybugs before shipping plants. Close inspection is still needed to prevent spreading the insects.

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    PALM MEALYBUG

    Scientific name: Palmicultor palmarum (Maskell),


    Order: Hemiptera Family: Pseudococcidae
    Common Name: Palm mealybug

    HOST PLANTS
    Palm mealybugs are
    known to infest
    ornamentals and fruit
    trees, including:
    avocado kentia palm actual size
    banana lady palm DESCRIPTION
    Chamaedorea orchids Palm mealybugs are soft‐bodied, oval, and
    citrus parlor palm pink, measuring 0.5mm as immature
    Dracaena potato
    nymphs and growing to 8.0 mm when
    gardenia pygmy palm
    ginger queen palm
    mature. Their bodies are covered by
    grape Rhapis palm white, waxy material, with short filaments
    Heliconia sago palm radiating from the margins of the body.
    Adult male mealybugs are tiny two‐winged
    Palm mealybugs on rhapis palm hibiscus
    fly‐like insects.

    DAMAGE • Mealybugs weaken plants


    by feeding on plant juices
    then excreting honeydew
    upon which sooty mold
    grows.
    • Black sooty mold growth
    reduces photosynthesis,
    causes defoliation, and
    occasionally death of a
    young plant.
    • Honeydew also attracts
    Waxy filaments of mealybugs ants that can farm and
    are visible on unopened fronds of protect mealybugs from
    a rhapis palm predators and parasitoids.

    LIFE CYCLE/BEHAVIOR Egg to Reproducing Adult: approximately 1‐2 months


    • Adult female mealybugs lay from 300 ‐ 600 eggs in a compact, cottony, waxy sac protected beneath their
    posterior ends for 1‐2 weeks and die shortly thereafter.
    • Within 7 ‐10 days eggs hatch into nymphs (crawlers) that move about searching out places to settle and
    feed on the plant.
    • Male crawlers will pupate and emerge as winged adults. (http://entoweb.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/mealybugs.htm)
    References: Williams, D.J. & Watson, G.W. 1988. Palmicultor palmarum In: The Scale Insects of the Tropical South Pacific Region.
    Pt. 2: The Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae). CAB International Institute of Entomology, London. 260 pp.
    Zimmerman, E. C. 1948. Insects of Hawaii, Homoptera: Sternorrhyncha. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu 5 :1‐464.
    BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR PALM MEALYBUG

    OPTIONS AVAILABLE
     Scout for white waxy filaments of adult mealybugs on
    plant meristems and young leaves.
    MONITORING  Inspect for sooty mold and the source of honeydew.
    TECHNIQUES
     Inspect distorted, stunted and/or yellowed foliage for
    the presence of mealybugs.

     Dislodge mealybugs with pressurized water sprays.

     Carefully select insecticides that will not kill beneficial


    insects (lady beetles, green lacewings, parasitic wasps).

    SELECT BEST  Use horticultural oils and soaps against mealybugs (no
    CONTROL METHOD residual effect).

     Use effective systemic insecticides (imidacloprid,


    dinotefuran, acetamiprid, spirotetramat or IGR
    pesticides containing buprofezin) in chemical rotations
    against mealybugs.

    TREATMENT BEFORE  Hot water treatment of plants at 120 °F for 12 minutes


    MARKET will kill mealybugs prior to shipment.

     Visually inspect for live mealybugs and remove plant


    FINAL INSPECTION from shipment.

    PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT / DISCLAIMER: These recommendations are provided only as a guide.


    Please read and follow all label directions.

    A.H. Hara, J. Zarders, R.Y. Niino‐DuPonte, S.K. Cabral, K.L. Aoki, 2013. University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, CTAHR,
    Komohana Research & Extension Center, Hilo, HI.

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