CSLB C-27 Landscaping ContractorPlanting and LandscapingEasy
A client observes small, white, cottony masses on the stems and leaf axils of their citrus trees. When touched, these masses feel sticky, and the leaves below are covered in a black, sooty mold. Which pest is MOST likely causing these symptoms?
- AWhiteflies
- BAphids
- CMealybugs
- DSpider Mites
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Mealybugs
The description of small, white, cottony masses and sticky honeydew leading to sooty mold are classic symptoms of a mealybug infestation. Mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that secrete a waxy, protective coating and excrete honeydew.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Whiteflies are small, white, moth-like insects that fly when disturbed, and while they produce honeydew, they don't form cottony masses.
- B. Aphids are typically green, black, or orange, not white and cottony, though they also produce honeydew and sooty mold.
- D. Spider mites cause stippling on leaves and fine webbing, not cottony masses or sticky honeydew.
Mealybug Identification
Identifying mealybug infestations by their characteristic white, cottony, waxy secretions on plants, often accompanied by sticky honeydew and sooty mold.
- Mealybugs are soft-bodied, sap-sucking insects.
- They excrete sticky honeydew, which promotes sooty mold growth.
- Often found in protected areas like leaf axils and stem joints.
Memory trick: Cottony, Sticky, Sooty: MEALYBUG's messy mark.