Greenhouse & Nursery Insect Pest ID

Introduction & Key to Mealybugs        [download pdf] 
 

Citrus Mealybug         [download pdf]
The female is wingless and appears to have been rolled in flour (hence the mealybug name). The citrus mealybug has been recognized as a pest of citrus and ornamental plants in the United States since 1879.
_{photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Bugwood.org}

Longtailed Mealybug         [download pdf]
Females have 17 pairs of waxy filaments around the periphery.
_{photo: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org}

Mexican Mealybug        [download pdf]
The female adult is long, oval, grayish and covered with a thin waxy secretion. 
_{photo: Buxton, Bugwood.org}

Root Mealybug        [download pdf]
The adult female ground mealybug is white. It resembles a springtail, but moves much more slowly and cannot jump.
_{photo: UC IPM}

Boisduval Scale        [download pdf]
Cover of the adult female is circular or oval, thin, flat, white to light yellow, semitransparent.
_{photo: SDSU}

Fern Scale        [download pdf]
Female armor is oystershell or pear shaped, flat, light brown with the crawler cast skin a paler brown.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Hemispherical Scale        [download pdf]
Depending on the host plant, the adult scale may vary in size. The hemispherical scale insect is a tropical insect that has become a common greenhouse pest. 
_{photo: John Davidson, Bugwood.org}

Brown Soft Scale        [download pdf]
Adult females are pale yellowish green to yellowish brown, often mottled with brown spots.
_{photo: Texas A& M}

Tessellated Scale        [download pdf]
Living adult females are flattened, reddish brown to dark brown.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Introduction & Key to Whiteflies        [download pdf]
Key to the most common of flowers and foliage plants.

Silverleaf Whitefly        [download pdf]
The silverleaf is slightly smaller and slightly yellower than most other whitefly pests of flowers.
_{photo: Scott Bauer, Bugwood.org}

Sweetpotato Whitefly        [download pdf]
Adults are small with a pale yellow body and two pairs of white wings. The sweetpotato whitefly has an extremely wide host range, attacking more than 500 species of plants
_{photo: UC IPM}

Bandedwinged Whitefly        [download pdf]
Mature adult bandedwinged whiteflies have zigzag bands across the front pair of wings. Except for the front banded wings, this whitefly is very similar to greenhouse whitefly.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Greenhouse Whitefly        [download pdf]
The adult is a white insect that resembles a tiny moth.
_{photo: UC IPM}

Citrus Whitefly        [download pdf]
The adult is a tiny, moth-like, four-winged, mealy-white insect.
_{photo: Texas A&M}

Azalea Whitefly        [download pdf]
The adult is light yellow with the antennae and legs slightly lighter in color. Azalea whiteflies infest all species of azaleas.
_{photo: Jim Baker, NCSU}

Cuban Laurel Thrips        [download pdf]
Adults are large and dark yellowish brown to black. The Cuban laurel thrips is a pantropical species that occurs wherever Ficus retusa is planted.
_{photo: Jennifer Carr, Bugwood}

Flower Thrips        [download pdf]
Flower thrips and Florida flower thrips are very similar and can be separated only by microscopic examination.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Western Flower Thrips        [download pdf]
The female is larger than the male. The female varies from yellow to dark brown, and has a more rounded abdomen.
_{photo: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org}

Greenhouse Thrips        [download pdf]
The head and central area of the body have a distinct network of lines.
_{photo: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org}

Banded Greenhouse Thrips        [download pdf]
Females are primarily yellow at first but gradually darken to brown or black.
_{photo: NCSU Extension}

Composite Thrips        [download pdf]
Females are yellowish brown to dark brown, and the head is small with black eyes and red ocelli.
_{photo: Rafia Khan, University of Florida}

Melon Thrips        [download pdf]
Melon thrips have a clear yellow body with thick, blackish body setae. Antennal colors variable.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Gladiolus Thrips        [download pdf]
They emerge milky-white, but soon turn dark brown, except for the apical portions of the legs which are lighter.
_{photo: NCSU Extension}

Onion Thrips        [download pdf]
Adult females are yellow, with brownish blotches on the thorax and the median portion of abdomen.
_{Alton Sparks, Bugwood.org}

Echinothrips americanus        [download pdf]
The adult female is about 1.6 mm long and the male about 1.3 mm long.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Chilli Thrips                    [download pdf]        
The chilli thrips, or yellow tea thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis, is an extremely successful invasive species from Asia.
_{photo: University of Florida}

Introduction & Key to Flies        [download pdf]
Key to commonly found fly species (adult fly and maggot) 
 

Fungus Gnats        [download pdf]
The flies are grayish-back, slender with comparatively long legs and antennae.
_{photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Bugwood.org}

Shore Flies        [download pdf]
Black fly in genus Scatella with reddish eyes and gray wings with clear spots and resemble eye gnats, fruit flies, or vinegar flies in general shape.
_{photo: UC IPM}

Introduction & Key to Mites        [download pdf]
Key to commonly found mite species  
 

Broad Mite        [download pdf]
Broad mites are almost microscopic (less than 0.2 millimeter long) translucent and colorless to pale brown. Broad mites are very sensitive to heat. 
_{photo: UC IPM} 

Cyclamen Mite        [download pdf]
These mites are tiny animals, less than 0.3 millimeter long, colorless or brown tinted and waxy looking. Cyclamen mites avoid the light and tend to occur on hidden areas of the plant.
_{photo: UC IPM}