In the past, mealybugs haven’t posed a significant problem for cherry growers because they don’t cause direct damage to cherries, but because apple and grape mealybugs are vectors for little cherry virus 2, researchers are looking for ways to combat them. Control is challenging because mealybugs differ in their life cycles: The apple mealybug has just one generation per year, while the grape mealybug has at least two, which is an important consideration when timing control methods, said Dr. Andrea Bixby-Brosi, postdoctoral research assistant with Washington State University’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center. With grape mealybugs, she said, “At […]