University of California Cooperative Extension
133 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 109, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu
May 2007
Male Vine Mealybug Identification Sheet
These photographs are of male vine mealybug (Planococcus ficus) as they
appear on a sticky trap. Use of a stereo microscope with 30X magnification will
greatly aid in identification. The male vine mealybug is small (approximately
0.7 mm long) and amber brown in color. It has one pair of wings, but sometimes
they are not visible because they are embedded in the stickum. The antennae are
beaded, the trunk (thorax) is wider than the abdomen and there are four caudal
setae (tail filaments), which usually appear as only two.
Amber or brown in color
Photo: David Haviland
Prepared by Lucia G. Varela, UCCE Sonoma County
Photos by David Haviland, UCCE Kern County and Jack Kelly Clark, UC Davis
Photo: Jack Kelly Clark
Caudal setae
Narrow abdomen
Wide thorax
Eyes
Photo: David Haviland
Photo: David Haviland
Two wings
Beaded antennae
May 2007
University of California Cooperative Extension
133 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 109, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu
Male Vine Mealybug (Planococcus ficus) and
Grass Mealybugs (Phenacoccus spp.)
Vine Mealybug Male
Smaller in size (approx. 0.7 mm)
Antennae as long as head and thorax
Shorter legs
A pair of caudal setae
Last abdominal segment triangular in shape
Vine Mealybug
Grass Mealybug Male
Larger in size (approx. 1.0 mm)
Antennae as long as the body length
Longer legs
Caudal setae not visible
Last abdominal segment pointed
Grass Mealybugs
Shorter antennae extending
to the end of the thorax
Long antennae
Caudal setae
Last abdominal
segment
triangular
Pointed last segment
Prepared by Lucia G. Varela, UCCE Sonoma County
Photo by Jack Kelly Clark, UC Davis
University of California Cooperative Extension
133 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 109, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu
May 2007
Other Small Insects Caught on Traps
These are examples of other small insects which may be caught on the stickum of
vine mealybug pheromone traps and may appear similar to vine mealybug males.
Thrip
Springtail
Fly
Wing veins visible
Thrip
Parasitic wasp
Photo: David Haviland
Furcula
Other species are hairy
Aphid
Cornicle
Wing veins visible
Photo: David Haviland
Short antennae
Photo: Jack Kelly Clark
Fringed wings
Photo: David Haviland
Thorax and abdomen same width
Parasitic wasp
Prepared by Lucia G. Varela, UCCE Sonoma County
Photos by David Haviland, UCCE Kern County and Jack Kelly Clark, UC Davis
Male vine mealybug
Photo: David Haviland
Photo: David Haviland
Narrow waist