Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, mealybug destroyer. Wasn't sure if it was naturally white, or had accidentally been coated in paint perhaps. The eggs are laid in mealy bug colonies that hatch into larvae. Species identified by Nick Nisson, County Entomologist, Orange County. COMMON NAME: Mealybug Destroyer SCIENTIFIC NAME: Order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, also known as "the Mealybug Destroyer," is a safe, economical, and long-term solution to mealybugs.. Photo by Jimmy Brashear The larvae of the mealybug destroyer commonly referred to as rag mop insects. 7. C. montrouzieri is a voracious feeder of mealybugs in both the larval and adult stages - a single larva may consume up to 250 small mealybugs. Apply with enough water to provide complete coverage. The mealybug destroyer lays eggs that are yellowish in color and where you can find them is exactly right in the cottony egg sack of mealybugs. The nefarious mealybug is almost white as well, but it has straight, stiff white white hairs projecting from its sides. — these small lady beetles are deadly as adults and larvae to aphids and soft scale insects as well as mealybugs. Download this stock image: mealybug ladybird, mealybug destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri), larvae on a leaf - EBN2G6 from Alamy's library of millions of high … The Mealybug Destroyer is typically 0.0 inches to 0.2 inches (2mm to 6mm) in size and has the following descriptors / identifiers: white, black, brown, cotton, furry, worm, hairy, tentacle; flying, helpful. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Select the size. Etymology. Eggs hatch what are called “crawlers” and this larval stage will typically feed for 1-2 months. Indian Journal of Entomology, 53(4):581-586; 13 ref. Eggs hatch into larvae in about 5 days at 27°C (80°F). The tiny Mealybug Destroyer Larva has what almost look like curly tentacles or appendages extending from a dark body. Native to Australia, introduced into California in 1891 as a control agent for mealybugs. Buy 2 or more @ $128.25 per 500! An uncommon, but equally-effective beneficial insect is the mealybug destroyer, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Restricted entry interval (R.E.I.) It may also be a Scymnus larva, a ladybeetle; this is a beneficial insect as well. All moving stages feed on mealy bugs. The Bugman finds it interesting that the mealybug destroyer larva looks very like the mealybug it preys on. Both adults and young larvae prey upon mealybugs. Check out Destroyer on Amazon Music. If food is scarce they will eat soft scales and aphids. Optimal conditions are 61-91 degrees F with a relative humidity between 70-80%. Verdict is that this is the larvae of the Mealybug Destroyer ( Cryptolaemus montrouzieri), a type of ladybug. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, common name mealybug ladybird or mealybug destroyer, is a ladybird species. Satyanarayana J, Murthy MS, Srinivasa N, 1991. We are the ONLY U.S. producer of mealybug destroyer beetles! Mealybug Destroyer First used as a biological control agent in the late 1800's, both the adult and larval stages of this beneficial insect attack and feed on all stages of mealybugs. is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without protective clothing. The mealybug destroyer, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, is a small lady beetle that is a very effective predator, especially when mealybug numbers are high and many egg masses are present. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri can reach a length of about 6 millimetres (0.24 in). Mother Nature News has an article on how to tell "good" bugs from "bad" ones, including the mealybug destroyer larva and the mealybug. A few of the ferns at the conservatory had these cute, yet totally alien, strange white bugs. The larvae resemble mealybugs, covered with waxy appendages, however they are much more mobile and as they develop become longer. Mealybug Destroyer Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant 1853. collect. overview; data; media; articles; maps; names A If mealybug gets established in a heated greenhouse or conservatory, biological control using Cryptolaemus montrouzieri beetles or Leptomastix dactylopii, a parasitic wasp, should do the trick. It can be purchased commercially and should be released at the rate of 2-8 adults per plant. Coleoptera: Coccinellidae . Print This Page Mealybug Destroyer. Buprofezin may harm the mealybug destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) when applied during the summer.