Hobbies And Interests
Eggs
Adult female mealybugs lay up to 300 eggs on plants, usually where a leaf joins a stem. The orange or yellow eggs are enclosed in a white, waxy sac.
Nymphs
The eggs hatch into nymphs, which are similar to the adults but smaller. The nymphs crawl around on the plant until they find a place to settle down to feed. When they find a place to feed they insert their beak into the plant tissue and suck out sap.
Adults
Adult female mealybugs stay in the same location for their entire lifespan. As they feed they excrete fine waxy filaments from the sides of their body. The filaments grow and cover the insect's body, giving it a cottony appearance. Once they lay eggs, female mealybugs die.
Males
Male mealybugs are gnat-like insects. After feeding they secrete a tiny cocoon where they develop into winged adults that fly about looking for a female with which to mate.