Biology of the Mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink

Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) biology was studied on papaya under laboratory condition. The developmental period from immature crawler to adult was greater for male (12.39 ± 2.63 days) compared to females (8.95 ± 2.13 days), probably due to the additional moult to pupal stage in males. Females showed varied patterns of fecundity with the number of crawlers produced per female ranging 338 to 440. The oviposition period lasted 7.5 ± 0.65 days. Adult females lived 21.00 ± 2.36 days. Males accounted for less than 5% of the population, and lived 1.72 ± 0.77 days.