The grape and obscure mealybugs closely resemble each other. Both mealybugs are most damaging in old trees with rough bark that shelter overwintering nymphs and egg clusters.
Eggs are yellowish to orange and are laid in a cottony mass.
Because mealybugs cannot be removed with present washing methods, infested lots of fruit are rejected by both cannery and fresh market handlers. Honeydew is also produced and may cause russetting on pears and enable a black sooty fungus to grow on the surface, rendering the fruit unfit for fresh shipment. If chemical treatments become necessary for mealybugs, apply them before bloom to minimize predator disruption. Collect one fruit cluster from the top of 20 trees in a block and count the number infested with mealybug nymphs. Because of prolonged emergence during June, crawlers of the second generation are more difficult to control.