mealybug
noun
mealy·bug
ˈmē-lē-ˌbəg 
: any of a family (Pseudococcidae) of scale insects that have a white cottony or waxy covering and are destructive pests especially of fruit trees
Examples of mealybug in a Sentence
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Their main food sources are energy-rich liquids, such as the honeydew produced by insects like scale bugs and mealybugs and nectar secreted from specialized glands on plants.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
The treatment will vary depending on the invader, such as applying insecticidal soap to remove aphids or dabbing mealybugs with rubbing alcohol.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
Warm, humid conditions also breed mealybugs, which can spread an infection that spoils cacao crops.
—Maya Huter, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025
Scale, aphids, mealybugs, and spider mite outbreaks occur on occasion.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
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Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
The treatment will vary depending on the invader, such as applying insecticidal soap to remove aphids or dabbing mealybugs with rubbing alcohol.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
Warm, humid conditions also breed mealybugs, which can spread an infection that spoils cacao crops.
—Maya Huter, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025
Scale, aphids, mealybugs, and spider mite outbreaks occur on occasion.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mealybug
Cite this Entry
“Mealybug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mealybug. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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mealybug
noun
mealy·bug
ˈmē-lē-ˌbəg
: any of numerous scale insects that have a white cottony or waxy covering and are destructive pests especially of fruit trees
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