Boxelder Bug vs Mango Mealybug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Boxelder Bug Mango Mealybug
Scientific Name Boisea trivittata Drosicha mangiferae
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Rhopalidae Monophlebidae
Size 11-14 mm 8-15 mm (females)
Habitat Underground Orchards
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions North America South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Boxelder Bug

A black and red bug that forms large aggregations on and around boxelder trees in autumn. It is commonly seen warming itself on sunny building walls before entering structures to overwinter. It is harmless but considered a nuisance pest.

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Did You Know?

Thousands of individuals can aggregate on the south-facing walls of buildings on warm autumn days, creating dramatic displays before entering homes to overwinter in wall voids.

Mango Mealybug

A large, soft-bodied mealybug covered in white waxy secretions that infests mango trees. Nymphs crawl up mango trunks in huge numbers during winter, clustering on tender shoots and flowers to suck sap.

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Did You Know?

Banding mango tree trunks with sticky tape or polythene sheets is a traditional control method that traps the crawling nymphs.