Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Papaya mealybug (328)

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Photo 1. Colonies of papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus, along veins of papaya leaf.

Photo 2. Crust of mealybugs and wax, papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus, on papaya fruit.

Photo 3. Masses of cotton wool-like wax over colony of papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus.

Photo 4. Adults and crawlers, papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus.

Photo 5. Slide-mounted adult female, papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus.

Summary

• Worldwide distribution. On fruit trees, vegetables, root crops, ornamentals, weeds. An important papaya mealybug.
• Damage: i) thick layers of mealybugs and white wax on fruit and leaves causing yellowing, stunting, fruit drop; ii) sooty moulds grow on honeydew, covering leaves, and staining fruit.
• Eggs laid into egg sac underneath female; produce "crawlers" (nymphs); these moult developing into females, up to 2.2 mm long, with yellow bodies, covered in white wax, fringed with waxy threads. Males, short-lived, fly-like insects with wings.
• Spread by crawlers walking, or carried by wind, vehicles, animals, birds, on clothes, and the trade in plants. 
• Natural enemies: ladybird beetles, wasp parasitoids (e.g., Acerophagus papayae).
• Cultural control: for ants: boiling water; prune low branches and remove weeds (to stop ants).
• Chemical control: use soap, horticultural or white oils (see Fact Sheet no. 56); avoid malathion and synthetic pyrethroids - they will kill natural enemies. Only use pyrethroids to kill ants.

Common Name

Papaya mealybug

Scientific Name

Paracoccus marginatus

This mini fact sheet is a part of the app Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

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