As their numbers increase, mealybugs of all sizes can be found crawling around or feeding on all surfaces of the plant. Each female usually lays from 200 to 600 eggs in the tick ovisac. Some species of mealybugs give birth to live young. After several weeks, the nymphs develop into adults. Male nymphs secrete a tiny, fluffy cocoon and develop into winged adults.
Males then fly about seeking females to mate with.
Because the eggs are enmeshed in the waxy fluff, it is difficult to get a pesticide through to kill them. If an infestation is discovered early enough on a few cherished house plants, the mealybugs may be removed by a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or fingernail polish remover. Keep an eye on the plants for a few weeks to make sure no mealybugs are overlooked. If a large number of plants are infested, dip or spray the plants thoroughly with one of the pesticide mixtures listed below. This treatment may have to be repeated two or more times at weekly intervals since new mealybugs hatch from egg masses which might have been missed by the spray.