Little cherry virus-2 is spread by scale insects of the family Pseudococcidae, primarily the apple mealybug (Phenacoccus aceris).

[14][15] In areas where the apple mealybug is commonplace, application of insecticides prior to cutting infected trees are routinely used to stop the spread of little cherry disease within orchards.

[1][12][16] In infected trees of the commercially important cultivar Lambert, the fruit develops normally until about ten days before harvest, when maturation stops.

[16] At picking time, the cherries are 1/2–2/3 of the regular size, dull in color, with an angular pointed shape.

[1][16] The sugar and acid levels of the cherries are severely impacted, resulting in tasteless fruits, lacking both sweetness and flavor.

[1][16] The ability to recover is also dependent on cultivar, with some able to return to fruit sizes and coloring comparable to uninfected trees.

[12] In 1938, parasitic wasps were introduced to the area as biocontrol agents in an attempt to manage the apple mealy bug population, with some success in limiting the speed at which the viruses spread.