The nymph is similar to the larger adult female except that the filaments around the edges are shorter. A, Adult. B, Nymphs. In temperate zones, they survive in greenhouses or homes throughout the world. Longtailed mealybugs have been found on at least 26 plant families. Dracaena appears to be the favored host, but most flowering and ornamental foliage plants are susceptible.
Longtailed mealybugs feed by sucking out plant sap from leaves and stems.
Honeydew and sooty mold further disfigure infested plants, which may eventually be killed. These pests also secrete a fluffy white wax which also detracts from the appearance of infested plants. Although longtailed mealybugs were first described in 1867, not much has been published on their biology. Females give birth to live young on a shallow pile of white waxy secretions. Because the females are wingless, they must be brought into proximity of a host plant before it can be infested.