Authors: T.G. Grout, S.D. Moore. Text extracted with permission from the editors from: Prinsloo, G.L. & Uys, V.M (Eds) 2015. Insects of Cultivated Plants and Natural Pastures in Southern Africa. Entomological Society of Southern Africa.
Pseudococcus longispinus
Other common names: langstertwitluis (A); cochonilha-algodão-de-cauda-comprida (P)
Eggs: Except for the long-tailed mealybug, all of the species produce distinct egg sacs. The egg sac of the citrus mealybug is formed beneath and behind the adult female (illustrated). Eggs are yellow and covered by a white, woolly egg sac that does not have a specific shape. Oleander mealybug females are embedded in their egg sacs, which protrude posterior-ventrally from the body (illustrated). Eggs are darker than those of the citrus mealybug. The Karoo thorn mealybug eggs are distinctly purple; the waxy egg sac is globular with a finely striated surface and the threads can be drawn out into long strands (illustrated). The long-tailed mealybug produces live offspring (crawlers).
Nymphs: Newly hatched nymphs or crawlers (illustrated) are highly mobile and in most mealybug species, are yellow in colour, but oleander mealybug crawlers are dark and Karoo thorn mealybug crawlers are distinctly purple. The female has three nymphal stages, which generally resemble the shape of the adult. Males, which have four nymphal instars, are indistinguishable from females in the first instar, but can be readily identified in the second instar by their eye spots. After the second instar, the male forms a cottony cocoon, from which the adult will emerge.
Adults: All adult males have one pair of wings and are considerably smaller than the females. They are also characterized by the presence of two long, white anal filaments and well-developed legs and antennae.
Adult females range from 2-5 mm in length, depending on the species. The body is covered with a mealy, white wax layer. This layer does not hide the body shape, and the body segments are visible. Citrus mealybug females (illustrated) have a faint stripe running along the length of the dorsal body surface, where a thinner wax layer, through the underlying body colour (yellow to yellowish-brown), is visible. The oleander mealybug female (illustrated) has grey body fluids and the waxy filaments around the rear of the body are longer than in the citrus mealybug, particularly the anal pair. The Karoo thorn mealybug (illustrated) is approximately 3 mm long and is easily recognizable by the greatly elongated anal filaments which are often longer than the body.
