Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell)

Taxonomic position

Insecta: Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae

Common names

Striped mealybug, guava mealybug, grey mealybug

Habitat / Crop(s) damaged

Polyphagous on several hosts including cotton, guava, custard apple, papaya, beans, crotons, pepper, etc. Vector of swollen shoot disease of cocoa.

Symptoms of damage are yellowing of leaves and terminal shoots; presence of a large number of mealy bugs having a pair of long, conspicuous wax threads at the caudal end, on the under surface of leaves and stem which are coated with sooty mould; and wilting of plants in parches.

Pest status

Occasionally serious.

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