THE COMMON MEALYBUG 1 AND ITS CONTROL 

 IN CALIFORNIA. 



CONTENTS. 



Nature of injury and host fruits preferred. . 



Characteristics and life history ui brief 



Control of the mealybug 



Page. 



Fumigation. 

 Spraying... 



Control of the mealybug Continued. 



Control by natural enemies 10 



General recommendations 14 



Preventing spread through picking boxes 



- and by pickers 15 



TTMILUIvE of control methods against the common mealybug in 

 California, together with its continued spread and the recent 

 severe outbreak at Uplands, Cal., of a previously unknown species, 2 

 has caused mealybugs to be probably the most feared insect pests of 

 citrus fruits in southern California to-day. The common mealybug 

 is reported as destructive in Los Angeles. Orange, Santa Barbara, 

 San Diego, and Ventura Counties. Fortunately, however, only a 

 small percentage of the citrus acreage in these counties is now in- 

 fested by this insect. 



The common mealybug is of world-wide distribution and omnivo- 

 rous habits. It appears first to have been reported in California as 

 an orchard pest near Los Angeles more than 30 years ago, and sub- 

 sequently came to notice in Paradise Valley, San Diego County. Its 

 sporadic outbreaks continued to be of mere local concern until an 

 extensive and severe infestation appeared in Ventura County in 

 7-8, simultaneously with new but lesser areas of infestation in 

 Los Angeles. San Diego, and Orange Counties. 



NATURE OF INJURY AND HOST FRUITS PREFERRED. 



A severe infestation of the common mealybug is well illustrated in 

 figure 1 and in the illustration on the title-page. Immature fruit 

 may be deformed or may become so weakened that it drops. Ma- 

 turing fruit is frequently discolored, resulting in a high percentage 

 of culls or fruit of low grade. The cottony secretion covering the egg 

 masses is unsightly, and the sooty mold which develops in the honey- 

 dew exudations necessitates washing the fruit. Abnormal decay 



1 Pseudococcus citri Risso. 2 Pseudococcus citrophilus Clausen. 



3 



