If you ever notice strange white grains on your bed or furniture, don’t ignore them. They could be mealybug eggs — small, soft-bodied insects from the family Pseudococcidae that thrive in warm, humid environments and often infest houseplants.
Female mealybugs lay hundreds of eggs inside cotton-like masses called ovisacs. These look like small bits of white fluff or wax and are usually found on plant stems, leaf joints, or under leaves. Each female can lay between 200 and 600 eggs, which hatch in one to two weeks. The newly hatched nymphs, known as crawlers, spread quickly across nearby plants.
A mealybug infestation can cause significant damage:
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They weaken plants by sucking sap, leading to yellowing, leaf drop, and stunted growth.
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They excrete sticky honeydew that attracts ants and causes black sooty mold on leaves.
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Their rapid reproduction can overwhelm entire collections of indoor plants.
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In agriculture, they can devastate crops like grapes, citrus, and coffee, reducing both yield and quality.
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