Last year several consultants and I noticed something strange. A number of greenhouses in Ontario had noticeable infestations of mealybug in their poinsettia crop. This was the first time many in their 25+ year careers had seen this (e.g. see Mel Sawaya’s article in Greenhouse Canada Magazine).
It’s unclear yet if phenomenon will repeat itself this year (or perhaps affect even more operations), but growers should be on the lookout for this pest. Keep reading for more information about the potential cause of these mealybug infestations, and possible solutions.