Description:
The adult is 1,5mm long, yellowish and heavily dusted with white, powdery wax; wings are narrow. Early in spring, it starts laying its eggs on the underside of leaves which hatch shortly afterwards. Nymphs develop rapidly, consuming considerable quantities of sap in dense colonies. They are light green, almost transparent covered by numerous strands of wax. Breeding continues until autumn, where the populations becoming particulary large. Colonies seems to be covered by masses of white wool, which is produced by third-instar nymphs.
Symptoms:
Leaves: Masses of white wool on the underside of the leaves, development of sooty moulds, secretion of honeydew
Fruits: Masses of white wool on the of the fruits, development of sooty moulds, secretion of honeydew, especially in high infestations
Hosts: Citrus, Figs
Taxonomy:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Hemiptera |
| Family | Aleyrodidae |
| Genus | Aleurothrixus |
| Species | floccosus |
References:
Alford D. V. (2014). Pests of Fruit Crops. A Colour Handbook. CRC Press. 2nd Edition