Mango Mealybug
Drosicha mangiferae
Basic Details
Description
Taxonomy
Features
Translations
Basic Details
NameMango Mealybug
DescriptionMango mealybugs are white, waxy insects that cluster on branches and fruit to suck sap. Identify sticky honeydew and black sooty mold to protect your mango trees.
TypeInsect
FamilyMonophlebidae
GenusDrosicha
Taxonomy & Features
PhylumArthropoda
SubphylumHexapoda
ClassInsecta
OrderHemiptera
Features
- A major sap-sucking pest of mango trees (Drosicha mangiferae), recognizable by its white, powdery or waxy coating
- Adult females are oval, flat, and wingless; they can reach up to 1.5 cm and are found in large clusters on shoots and fruit
- Nymphs hatch in the soil and crawl up the tree trunk in late winter/early spring to reach the tender new growth
- Feeding causes the flowers to dry up and drop. It also leads to the premature dropping of young, stone-size mango fruit
- They excrete large amounts of 'honeydew', which coats the leaves and promotes the growth of black sooty mold fungus
- Severe infestations weaken the tree, reducing its overall vigor and making the remaining fruit unsightly and unmarketable
- The pest has a single generation per year. Most of its lifecycle (as eggs) is spent in the soil under the tree canopy
- Physical barriers are extremely effective: apply slippery polyethylene bands (alkathene) with grease around the trunk to stop nymphs from climbing
- Hoeing the soil under the tree in November and December can expose the egg masses to the sun and predators
- Control using insecticidal sprays or neem oil if barriers fail, primarily targeting the ground and lower trunk during nymph emergence
Names in Different Languages
Latin / ScientificDrosicha mangiferae
English (Alternate)Giant mealybug
Hindiआम का मिलीबग (Aam ka mealybug)
Tamilமாமரம் மாவுப்பூச்சி (Mamaram mavuppoochi)
Teluguమామిడి పిండి పురుగు (Mamidi pindi purugu)
Malayalamമാവിലെ വെള്ളീച്ച (Māvile veḷḷīcca)
Kannadaಮಾವಿನ ಹಿಟ್ಟು ತಿಗಣೆ (Māvina hiṭṭu tigaṇe)
Sanskritआम्र-मत्कुण (Āmra-matkuṇa)
Bengaliআমের মিলিবাগ (Amer mealybug)
Frenchcochenille du manguier
Russianманговый мучнистый червец (mangovyy muchnistyy chervets)
Spanishcochinilla de mangifera
GermanMangowolllaus
