Garden Carpet vs Long-tailed Mealybug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Garden Carpet Long-tailed Mealybug
Scientific Name Xanthorhoe fluctuata Pseudococcus longispinus
Order Lepidoptera Hemiptera
Family Geometridae Pseudococcidae
Size 22-28 mm wingspan 2.5-4 mm (body)
Habitat Gardens Gardens
Diet Herbivores Sap Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Garden Carpet

A very common garden moth with variable grey and white patterning. Double-brooded with adults flying from April to October. Larvae feed on various cruciferous plants including garlic mustard.

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Did You Know?

One of the most frequently recorded moths in garden moth traps across Britain.

Long-tailed Mealybug

A waxy white mealybug distinguished by long tail filaments that can equal or exceed its body length. It infests ornamental plants, citrus, and grapes in greenhouses and warm regions.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most mealybugs, females give live birth instead of laying eggs.