mealy bug
Definition
Noun: A small, soft-bodied insect that is a type of scale insect. It is covered with a white, powdery or mealy wax secretion. Mealybugs are plant pests that feed on sap and can cause significant damage, especially to fruit trees and ornamental plants.
Usage
The term "mealybug" is used to refer to the insect pest itself. It is a countable noun. * The gardener found mealybugs on the underside of the leaves. * A severe mealybug infestation can weaken a plant. * Citrus trees are often susceptible to mealybugs.
Examples
- The sticky residue on the plant was a clear sign of mealybugs.
- She used a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to remove the mealybug from the orchid.
- Biological control, using ladybugs, is one method to manage mealybug populations.
Advanced Usage
- Collective Reference: The term can be used in a collective sense to refer to an infestation.
- The greenhouse had a problem with mealybug.
- As a Modifier: Used attributively to describe related things (e.g., mealybug infestation, mealybug control).
Variants and Related Words
- Mealybug is the standard common name. The scientific family is Pseudococcidae.
- Scale insect: The broader category to which mealybugs belong.
- Cochineal insect: A related insect in the same superfamily, known for producing red dye.
Synonyms
- Pest insect
- Sap-sucking insect (descriptive synonym)
Notes on Different Meanings
The word "mealybug" has a single, specific entomological meaning. It is not commonly used in idioms or phrasal verbs.
Noun
-
scalelike plant-eating insect coated with a powdery waxy secretion; destructive especially of fruit trees
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