- Worldwide distribution. The 'mealybug destroyer'. In Oceania, Australia (native), Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea. Available commercially. Preys on scales, mealybugs and aphids.
- Eggs laid near prey, larvae with yellowish grey bodies and waxy threads, orange-brown heads and black wing cases. Covered in fine white hairs.
- Important biocontrol beetle.
- Natural enemies: wasps, spiders, birds, and ants.
- Biosecurity: need to assess risk before introduction as it is a generalist.
- Cultural control: hot water to kill ants: 47°C (note, 49°C kills plants).
- Management: (i) move adults and larvae to colonies of pests; (ii) use sleeve cages to protect populations initially; (iii) avoid use of organophosphates, carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids; (iv) control ants: (a) stomach poisons (fipronil, Amdro®, borax), (b) growth regulators (methoprene, pyriproxyfen), (c) nerve poisons (bifenthrin, fipronil, imidacloprid). See (http://piat.org.nz/getting-rid-of-ants).
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (395)
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Summary
Common Name
Mealybug ladybird, also known by the nickname 'mealybug destroyer'. In Oceania, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea.
Scientific Name
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson & Mani Mua
Information from Swaine G (1971) Agricultural Zoology in Fiji. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. London; and Martin NA (2018) Mealybug ladybird - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. New Zealand Arthropod Factsheet Series No. 50. (https://nzacfactsheets.landcareresearch.co.nz/factsheet/InterestingInsects/Mealybug-ladybird---Cryptolaemus-montrouzieri.html); and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptolaemus_montrouzieri); and Cryptoleamus montrouzieri (mealybug destroyer) (2019) CABI Invasive Species Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/16393); and from Pacific Invasive Ant Toolkit. (http://piat.org.nz/index.php?page=getting-rid-of-ants/). Photo 1 Sonya Broughton, Department of Agriculture & Food Western Australia, Bugwood.org. Photo 2 David Cappaert, Bugwood.org. Photo 4 Randy Thaman, University of the South Pacific, Fiji.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/18: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Pacific Community.
