Symptoms of damage

• Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from the cells of tender branches and fruits
• Turn pale colour
• Affected plant parts - wilt and dry up
• Large amounts of honey dew excrete - sooty mould fungus
• Fungus covers the foliage and fruits
• In severe infestation the flowers do not form fruits

Identification of pest

• Eggs: Are laid in clusters, protective cottony mass
• Nymphs : Are amber coloured with white waxy coating with filaments
• Adult: Male is winged, long antenna and without mouth parts . Female is wingless, flat body and short, waxy filaments along the margins

Management

• Collect and destroy the damaged leaves, twigs and stems
• Use sticky trap (5cm length) on fruit bearing shoots
• Soil treatment with chlorophyriphos apply on the near the tree trunk
• Spraying of trees with acephate, .
• Field release of Australian lady bird beetle, Cryptoleamus montrouizeri 10 per tree