Vine Mealybug vs Long-snouted March Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Vine Mealybug Long-snouted March Fly
Scientific Name Planococcus ficus Bibio lanigerus
Order Hemiptera Diptera
Family Pseudococcidae Bibionidae
Size 2-4 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Fruit Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Mediterranean, California, South Africa, South America Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

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.

Long-snouted March Fly

A robust, hairy black march fly with a woolly thorax and relatively large body for the family. Adults emerge in spring and are frequently seen on hawthorn and blackthorn blossom.

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Did You Know?

Bibionidae larvae are sometimes so abundant in pasture soil that they can damage grass roots, leaving brown patches.