Long-tailed Mealybug vs Vine Mealybug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Long-tailed Mealybug Vine Mealybug
Scientific Name Pseudococcus longispinus Planococcus ficus
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Pseudococcidae Pseudococcidae
Size 2.5-4 mm (body) 2-4 mm
Habitat Gardens Orchards
Diet Sap Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Worldwide Mediterranean, California, South Africa, South America
Conservation Not Evaluated Not Evaluated

Long-tailed Mealybug

A waxy white mealybug distinguished by long tail filaments that can equal or exceed its body length. It infests ornamental plants, citrus, and grapes in greenhouses and warm regions.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most mealybugs, females give live birth instead of laying eggs.

Vine Mealybug

A pink-bodied mealybug covered in white wax that has become a major pest of vineyards worldwide. It feeds on vine roots, trunks, and fruit clusters, transmitting grapevine leafroll virus.

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Did You Know?

It can hide under bark and in root crevices, making it nearly impossible to reach with contact insecticides.