Mango Mealybug vs Oleander Aphid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mango Mealybug | Oleander Aphid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Drosicha mangiferae | Aphis nerii |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Monophlebidae | Aphididae |
| Size | 8-15 mm (females) | 1.5-2.5 mm |
| Habitat | Orchards | Underground |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal) | Worldwide in tropical and warm temperate regions |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
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.
Did You Know?
Banding mango tree trunks with sticky tape or polythene sheets is a traditional control method that traps the crawling nymphs.
Oleander Aphid
A bright yellow aphid with black cornicles and legs that feeds on oleander, milkweed, and other plants containing toxic cardiac glycosides. It sequesters these toxins for its own defense.
Did You Know?
Its bright yellow color serves as aposematic warning coloration because it sequesters cardiac glycosides from its host plants, making it toxic to most predators.