Quality control at Insectec
At Insectec Quality is the name of the game. We pride ourselves in ensuring that all our products are of excellent quality before they go to our clients.
October 26, 2021
Insectec
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Insectec is a leader in the production of natural enemies and the implementation thereof in an integrated pest management system.
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Mealybugs
Mealybugs (Hemiptere: Pseudococcidae) are a soft bodied scale insect, there are many different species of mealybug that have a wide variety of host plants. Mealybug is one of the most important pests of citrus and vines in South Africa but is also of economic importance in many other crops such as apples, pears, mangos, macadamia nuts, sweet peppers, blueberries and other vegetables and ornamentals. In some counties certain mealybug species are considered to be phytosanitary pests, this influences the exports to those countries.
Mealybugs are sap sucking insects, some species produce toxins that can cause growth deformation on fruit. They produce a sugary substance called. Honeydew promotes growth of a black fungus called sooty mould. When this fungus covers the surface of the leaves it can reduce photosynthesis in the plant and causes fruits to appear black, this can affect the value of the fruit.
General mealybug life cycle
At 25°C a mealybug develops from egg to adult in 28-30 days. The eggs hatch into crawlers (the mobile stage), they move about looking for an ideal place to settle and feed. The male third instar nymphs pupate and later emerge as winged insects that are able to fly and search for adult female mealybug, adult males only live for about 3 days and do not feed as adults. The females have five growth stages including egg, 3 nymphal stages and adult, they are always wingless and have limited mobility. Adult female mealybugs have a longevity of about 30 days depending on environmental conditions.
List of the most important mealybug species found in citrus and vines in South Africa
Citrus mealybug – Planococcus citri
|
|
Identification |
Natural enemy / solution |
|
Citrus Stone fruit |
Dark longitudinal dorsal line visible on adults. |
ANA-TEC |
Vine mealybug – Planococcus ficus
| Grapes and other fruits and ornamentals | Light longitudinal line over its back. Body fluid grey-yellow. Crawlers and eggs yellow | ANA-TEC COCCI-TEC CRYPTO-TEC NEPH-TEC |
Grape mealybug – Pseudococcus maritimus
| Grapes, pears and other fruit trees | Short waxy filaments around the body. Pair of longer posterior filaments, pointing straight back. Large egg masses are produced | ANA-TEC CRYPTO-TEC NEPH-TEC |
Longtailed mealybug – Pseudococcus longispinus
| Grapes, citrus, macadamia, mango and ornamentals | Four long posterior filaments often longer than the body. No egg masses are produced instead it gives birth to live nymphs. Yellow body fluid. | NEPH-TEC CRYPTO-TEC |
Delottococcus mealybug – Delottococcus arberiae
| Citrus, pears, olive trees, coffee trees | Very short filaments around the body with two longer posterior filaments. Body segments visible | NEPH-TEC CRYPTO-TEC |
Karoo thorn mealybug – Nipaecoccus viridis
| Citrus, Sweet thorn tree (Vachellia karroo), mango, avocado, | Thick white waxy covering over the body that can be drawn out into long strands. Eggs, crawlers and body fluid is a dark purple colour. | NEPH-TEC CRYPTO-TEC |
Obscure mealybug – Pseudococcus viburni
| Apples and pears | Thin white wax covering the body. Waxy filament is thin, two long posterior filaments | NEPH-TEC CRYPTO-TEC |
Cotton mealybug – Phenacooccussolenopsis
| Cotton, sweet peppers, other ornamentals, vegetables and weeds | Six dark grey dots on the rear end of the back. Very short waxy filaments | CRYPTO-TEC NEPH-TEC |
CitrusStone fruit
Avocadoes
Macadamia
Pomegranates
Crop Scouting
Therefore, it is very important to record scouting data and keep the records from season to season in order to develop a history of pest and beneficial population trends over time.
Insectec provides scout training at predetermined dates each year where we teach the ins and outs of scouting as well as how to identify common citrus pests, feel free to contact us for more information.
October 21, 2021
Insectec packaging and release instructions.
Insectec if focused on quality, and one of the major role players in the quality of beneficial insects is the packaging.
August 25, 2021
Insectec opens state-of-the-art insectary
Insectec is proud to announce the opening of its new insect rearing facility in Letsitele, South Africa.
August 18, 2021