Mealybugs: how to spot and manage them

Mealybugs are small, soft, sap-sucking insects wrapped in a white, cottony wax. They cluster in leaf joints and under leaves, and leave sticky honeydew behind.

How to spot them

1. White, fluffy, cotton-wool blobs tucked into leaf joints and along stems.
2. Sticky honeydew and black sooty mould on the leaves below.
3. Ants running up and down (they farm mealybugs for the honeydew).
4. Slowed, distorted growth.

Plants they target

Growing any of these? See our guides to tomatoes.

Tomatoes, citrus, and many soft-leaved veg and herbs.

How to manage them, safely

1. For small outbreaks, dab the clusters with a cotton bud dipped in diluted methylated spirits.
2. Spray insecticidal soap or neem oil, making sure to reach the hidden clusters.
3. Encourage ladybirds — the mealybug ladybird is a voracious predator.
4. Hose off and remove heavily infested growth, and discourage the ants.

For the bigger picture, see our guide to managing pests and problems safely.

Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.