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Pest Identification


Adult Longtailed Mealybug


Spider Mite and Eggs

GREENHOUSE / INTERIORSCAPE
  Whiteflies In Commercial Greenhouse Poinsettia Production: University of Minnesota Extension Service

Western Flower Thrips in Commercial Greenhouses: University of Minnesota Extension Service

Western Flower Thrips Feeding Scars and Tospovirus Lesions on Petunia Indicator Plants: University of Minnesota Extension Service

Pest Management Guidelines: University of California

Testing Services: Agdia, Inc.

Interiorscape Integrated Past Management: North Carolina Extension Service

Pests of Nursery: Koppert Biological Systems, Netherlands

Common Pest Problems: Defenders, Ltd., United Kingdom

FAQs About Whiteflies, Kearney Agricultural Center: University of California

The Biology and Management of Silverleaf Whitefly on Greenhouse Grown Ornamentals: University of California
 

 

Insect Management in the Interiorscape Environment  
Aphids: Introduction
Chrysanthemum Aphid: Dark mahogany brown; found exclusively on chrysanthemum.
Green Peach Aphid: Cornicles long, slender, and pale in color but sometimes dark at the tip; body 2.0 millimeters long.
Melon or Cotton Aphid: Cornicles shorter and uniformly dark; body 1 to 1.8 millimeters long.

Mealybugs: Introduction and Key
Citrus Mealybug: The female citrus mealybug is wingless and appears to have been rolled in flour (hence the name). The male is small, but with its wings and tail filaments, it appears to be 4.5 millimeters long.
Longtailed Mealybug: Up to 3 millimeters long, female long-tailed mealybugs have 17 pairs of waxy filaments around the periphery.
Mexican Mealybug: The female Mexican mealybug adult is 3 to 4 millimeters long, oval, grayish and covered with a thin waxy secretion.
Root Mealybug: The adult female ground mealybug is white and 2.4 to 3.9 millimeters long.

Scale Insects: Introduction and Key
Boisduval Scale: Cover of the adult female boisduval scale is circular or oval, thin, flat, white to light yellow, semitransparent, and 1.2 to 2.25 millimeters in diameter.
Fern Scale: Female fern scale armor is oystershell or pear shaped, flat, light brown with the crawler cast skin a paler brown.
Hemispherical Scale: Depending on the host plant, the adult scale may vary in size.
Brown Soft Scale: Living adult female brown soft scales are pale yellowish green to yellowish brown, often mottled with brown spots.
Tessellated Scale: Living adult females are flattened, reddish brown to dark brown, and 4-5 millimeters in length.

Whiteflies: Introduction
Key to Whiteflies: Key to the Most Common Whitefly Pests of Flowers and Foliage Plants.
Silverleaf Whitefly: The silverleaf whitefly is slightly smaller (about 0.96 mm in the female and 0.82 mm in the male) and slightly yellower than most other whitefly pests of flowers.
Sweetpotato Whitefly: Adult sweetpotato whiteflies are small, approximately 1/25 inch in length, with a pale yellow body and two pairs of white wings.
Bandedwinged Whitefly: Mature adult banded-winged whiteflies have zig-zag bands across the front pair of wings.
Greenhouse Whitefly: The adult is about 1.5 mm long, the adult is a white insect that resembles a tiny moth.
Citrus Whitefly: The adult is a tiny, moth-like, four-winged, mealy-white insect with a wing span of less than 4.3 mm.
Azalea Whitefly: The adult is about 1.5 mm long, the adult is light yellow with the antennae and legs slightly lighter in color.

Thrips: Introduction
Key to Thrips: Key to eleven species of thrips found in greenhouses.
Cuban Laurel Thrips: Adult: Cuban laurel thrips are large thrips (2.6 to 3.6 mm) that are dark yellowish brown to black.
Flower Thrips: The flower thrips and the Florida flower thrips are exceedingly similar. They can be separated only by microscopic examination.
Western Flower Thrips: Western flower thrips is about 1 mm long, with the female larger than the male. The female varies from yellow to dark brown, and has a more rounded abdomen.
Tobacco Thrips: The female tobacco thrips is dark brown or black, slender, and about 1 mm long.
Greenhouse Thrips: The head and central area of the body have a distinct network of lines.
Banded Greenhouse Thrips: Female banded greenhouse thrips, approximately 1.5 mm long, are primarily yellow at first but gradually darken to brown or black.
Composite Thrips: Females of this species are yellowish brown to dark brown, and the head is small with black eyes and red ocelli.
Melon Thrips: Melon thrips have a clear yellow body without darker blotches but with thick, blackish body setae. Antennal colors variable.
Gladiolus Thrips: Gladiolus thrips emerge milky-white, but soon turn dark brown, except for the apical portions of the legs which are lighter.
Onion Thrips: Adult females of onion thrips are about 1.1 to 1.2 mm long, yellow, with brownish blotches on the thorax and the median portion of abdomen.
Echinothrips americanus: The adult female Echinothrips americanus is about 1.6 mm long and the male about 1.3 mm long.

Flies: Introduction
Key to most common fly pests: Key to most common fly pests found on flowers and foliage plants, key to most common maggots found on flowers and foliage plants.
Fungus Gnats: The flies are slender with comparatively long legs and antennae. They are grayish-black and about 2.5 millimeters long.
Shore Flies: Shore flies in the genus Scatella are small (2 millimeters), black flies with reddish eyes and gray wings with clear spots. Shore flies resemble eye gnats, fruit flies, or vinegar flies in general shape.

Mites: Introduction and Key
Broad Mite: Broad mites are almost microscopic (less than 0.2 millimeter long).
Cyclamen Mite: These mites are tiny animals, less than 0.3 millimeter long.
Twospotted Spider Mite: The eight-legged adult can be pale green, greenish amber, or yellowish.

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Last modified on March 06, 2013