Mealybugs in Vineyards

Mealybug Identification
In North Coast vineyards the most common mealybug is the native Grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus. Obscure mealybug, Pseudococcus viburni, is also occasionally found, though it is more common in the Central Coast. Vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus, was first detected in the North Coast in 2002 and can be a very serious pest in infested vineyards. This page provides resources to distinguish and monitor these three species.

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Inspecting green-growing vines for Vine Mealybug
a bilingual resource (pdf).

Mealybug Control
Several years of research by the Viticulture and IPM programs in Sonoma County have developed control programs to reduce economic loss due to mealybugs on the North Coast.  In addition to chemical control in the vineyard, winery waste management prevents spread of the pest to non-infested sites.