Mealy bugs

Mealybugs only tend to be serious pests in the presence of ants because the ants protect them from predators and parasites, this fact was unknown to me I had previously spotted ants in presence of mealy bugs, this explains why. Even in the first pic the bugs are with ants. They are considered pests as they feed on plant juices of greenhouse plants, house plants and subtropical trees and also acts as a vector for several plant diseases. Mealybug females feed on plant sap, normally in roots or other crevices. They attach themselves to the plant and secrete a powdery wax layer (therefore the name mealybug) used for protection while they suck the plant juices. The males on the other hand, are short-lived as they do not feed at all as adults and only live to fertilize the females.