Bliss, R.M. 2005 Sex potion ensnares mealybugs.. Agricultural Research 53(4): 18.

Keywords:

  • biological control
  • Notes: [http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr05/potion0405.htm] The pink hibiscus mealybug (PHM) can destroy more than 200 plant species by injecting them with toxic saliva while sucking their sap. The exotic insect pest recently invaded California and Florida, and has proven difficult to monitor and kill, partly because their waxy outer coating, or cuticle, resists penetration by conventional insecticides. But ARS scientists have now found a way to lure male mealybugs with pheromones, making them easier to detect.