Cochinillas
Mealybugs or pill bugs: what they are, how they originate, and how to eliminate them effectively.
Mealybugs Or Ball Bugs
Oniscidea Sp.
Pathogen:
Insect
Type:
Risk to the plant:
INTERMEDIATE
DESCRIPTION
WHO CAUSES IT?
Oniscidea sp., commonly known as mealybugs or ball bugs, are terrestrial crustaceans that belong to the suborder Oniscidea. These organisms have a segmented body and are capable of rolling up into a ball as a defense mechanism. Its development begins with the hatching of the eggs, which are deposited in a ventral marsupium in the females. The young, called mancae, emerge from the pouch with incomplete development and undergo a series of molts until reaching maturity. Oniscidea sp. It prefers humid environments and feeds on decomposing organic matter, although it can also feed on living plant tissues in conditions of high population density or food scarcity. Adults can live up to three years, and their activity is mainly nocturnal to avoid desiccation and predation.
SYMPTOMS
In berries, scale insects can cause significant damage, especially when populations are high. They feed on the roots and basal tissues of plants, which can compromise their overall health.
- Discoloration and wilting of leaves.
- Slow or stunted plant growth.
- Appearance of necrotic areas at the base of the stems.
- Signs of water stress despite adequate irrigation.
- Visible damage to the roots, with chewed areas.
- Loss of vigor and productivity in affected plants.
- Increased susceptibility to other diseases due to damage to the roots.
- Visible presence of mealybugs in the soil and near the base of the plants.
TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
10°C - 25°C
70% - 90%
HOW IS IT SPREAD?
Soil, direct contact with infested plants, movement of organic matter, contaminated tools
HOW TO REMOVE IT?
Home remedies
There are no home treatments
Chemical treatments
• ORANGE OIL 6% [SL] P/V
• PARAFFIN OIL (CAS [8042-47-5]) 54.6% [EW] P/V
• PARAFFIN OIL (CAS [97862-82-3]) 40% [EW] P/V
• AZADIRACTIN 1% (AS AZADIRACTIN A) [EC] P/V
• DELTAMETHRIN 0.015g/trap [RB] P/P
• FLUPYRADIFURONE 20% [SL] P/V
• FORMETANATE 50% [SP] P/P
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 0.0015% [ME] P/V
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 1.5% [CS] P/V
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 10% [CS] P/V
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 2.5% [WG] P/P
• MALTODEXTRIN 47.6% [SL] P/V
• MALTODEXTRIN 59.8% [SL] P/V
• MILBEMECTIN 0.93% [EC] P/V
• POTASSIUM SALTS OF FATTY ACIDS C14-C20 48% [EW] P/V
• SPINETORAM 2.5% [SC] P/V
• SPINOSAD 48% [SC] P/V
• SPIROTETRAMAT 10% [SC] P/V
Authorized treatments in organic farming
• ORANGE OIL 6% [SL] P/V
• PARAFFIN OIL (CAS [8042-47-5]) 54.6% [EW] P/V
• PARAFFIN OIL (CAS [97862-82-3]) 40% [EW] P/V
• AZADIRACTIN 1% (AS AZADIRACTIN A) [EC] P/V
• DELTAMETHRIN 0.015g/trap [RB] P/P
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 0.0015% [ME] P/V
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 1.5% [CS] P/V
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 10% [CS] P/V
• LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN 2.5% [WG] P/P
• MALTODEXTRIN 47.6% [SL] P/V
• POTASSIUM SALTS OF FATTY ACIDS C14-C20 48% [EW] P/V
• SPINOSAD 48% [SC] P/V
Insect allies
PREDATORY MITES
LADYBUGS
LACEWINGS
PARASITIC WASPS
HOVERFLIES OR PARASITIC FLIES
PREDATORY BUGS
There are no natural allies
Mycodiplosis oidii (predatory mosquito)
EFFECTIVE PRODUCTS TO ELIMINATE THIS DISEASE
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- Keep the growing area clean of waste and decomposing organic matter.
- Avoid excessive irrigation that can create favorable conditions for Oniscidea sp.
- Implement physical barriers around plants, such as copper rings, which are repellent to mealybugs.
- Use monitoring traps to detect the early presence of scale insects.
- Introduce natural predators, such as some species of birds and mammals, which feed on mealybugs.
- Apply entomopathogenic nematodes to the soil to reduce larval populations.
- Practice crop rotation to avoid the accumulation of scale insects in the soil.
- Avoid excessive use of pesticides that can kill the natural predators of mealybugs.
- Ensure good soil drainage to reduce excessive moisture.
- Carry out regular inspections of plants and soil for early signs of infestation.
Recommendations
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