Mango Mealybug
Drosicha mangiferae
📖 Description
Mango Mealybug (also called Giant Mealybug or Mango Tree Hopper in some regions) is a major pest of mango and other fruit trees across the Indian subcontinent. First-instar nymphs crawl up tree trunks from soil where eggs were laid, congregating on tender shoots, inflorescences, and fruit stalks. Heavy infestation causes leaf drop, flower and fruit drop, sooty mold growth, and significant yield loss. The key to management is preventing nymphal ascent in December-January by banding tree trunks with slippery material (polythene grease bands). Once nymphs reach the canopy, they are protected by their waxy coating and contact insecticides become less effective. Adult females descend to soil in May-June to lay eggs, completing the cycle.
⚠️ Symptoms to watch for
- White cottony masses on tender shoots and panicles
- sooty mold on honeydew
- stunted new growth
- flower and fruit drop
- honeydew dripping from canopy
- severe infestation can defoliate branches
🩹 Treatment
- Band tree trunks with slippery material (polythene grease) to prevent nymphal ascent
- apply neem oil 5ml/L with sticker
- spray systemic insecticides at bud break
- prune and destroy infested shoots
- conserve predators
🌿 Organic treatments
- Band tree trunks 30 cm wide with alkathene or grease band at 1 m height to block nymphal ascent
- apply neem oil 5 ml/L with sticker
- spray 5% NSKE
- apply Lecanicillium lecanii @ 5 g/L
- prune and burn infested shoots
- release Cryptolaemus montrouzieri @ 10/tree
🧪 Chemical treatments
- Imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.5 ml/L
- Dimethoate 30 EC @ 1.5 ml/L
- Acephate 75 SP @ 1 g/L
- Buprofezin 25 SC @ 2 ml/L
- Chlorpyrifos 20 EC @ 2 ml/L (spray at bud break before flowering)
🛡️ Prevention
- Band tree trunks with slippery material before nymphal ascent (Dec-Jan)
- practice orchard sanitation by removing fallen leaves and weeds
- prune infested shoots early
- avoid excessive nitrogen
- conserve predatory beetles (Cryptolaemus, Scymnus)
- inspect orchards weekly during Jan-Mar
- remove alternate hosts (Citrus, Guava) near mango orchards
🪴 Affected plants
- Mango
- Citrus
- Guava
- Jackfruit
- Litchi
- Mulberry
- Many Ornamentals and Shade Trees
🦋 Natural predators
- Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
- Scymnus spp.
- Spiders
- Green Lacewings
- Predatory Bugs
🌱 Host plants
- Mangifera indica
- Citrus spp.
- Psidium guajava
- Artocarpus heterophyllus
- Litchi chinensis
🔄 Lifecycle
- Female descends to soil in May-June and lays 200-500 eggs in soil or leaf litter.
- Eggs overwinter 6-8 months.
- First-instar nymphs emerge in Dec-Jan and crawl up tree trunks to feed.
- Nymphs pass through 3 instars over 2-3 months.
- Adult females appear Mar-May; males emerge Apr-May, mate, and die.
- Total life cycle 3-4 months above ground + 6-8 months egg stage in soil; 1 generation per year.
📅 Season
- Active Dec-May, nymphal ascent Dec-Jan, peak damage Mar-Apr during flowering and fruiting
🔎 Appearance
- Large, oval, pinkish-grey mealybugs covered with white waxy powder.
- Females are wingless and slow-moving; males are tiny with one pair of wings and two long wax tail filaments.
- They cluster on tender shoots, inflorescences, and fruit stalks.
💥 Damage level
- High
🔁 Reproduction rate
- Moderate
🗺️ Geographic regions
- Indian Subcontinent
- Southeast Asia
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