Mealybugs and scales
it. Ants are also attracted by the honeydew. In fact, the honeydew with its sooty mould is usually the first sign of the presence of this type of pest. [...] unfit for sale, and the reduced level of photosynthesis in the leaves also reduces flower and fruit production; in ornamental crops, the mere presence of [...] stunting, and in extreme cases eventual defoliation. However, it is mainly the great quantity of honey-dew that causes the damage because of the sooty mould