How big are mealy bugs?

Question:i think that is what it is. I have an apple tree that has small patches of with fuzz on the branches that lets out a brownish red ooze if you touch it. Would you be able to see the bugs? I have only seen a close up pic. I cant see anything moving around on the tree

Answers:
Mealy bugs are NOT usually a pest found on apples. You may want to view the photo of the "Wooly Apple Aphid" to determine if that's the culprit attacking your tree (the first site listed also discusses ways to control this pest);
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/garden/pl...

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/e/i-ho-el...

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crop...

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/web/2...

Woolly aphids cover themselves in a protective cotton wool-like coating. The aphids are soft-bodied and stain a characteristic dark red colour when crushed. They suck the sap in cracks and crevices along the shoots and in the bark of apple trees, eventually making them swell up and become open to serious diseases like canker.

Yellowish foliage is a sign that woolly apple aphid may be infesting roots. Aphid feeding on the root systems also disrupts the nutrient balance of root tissue. Severe root infestations can stunt or kill young trees, but usually cause little damage to mature trees.

Following is a photo of mealybug so that you can see the differences:

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/tfipm/...

Hope this answered your question and will eventually solve your problem. Please feel free to write me directly if you have any questions regarding the control of this pest. GOOD LUCK!

-Certified Professional Crop Consultant with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science