Mealy Bug Destroyer – Cryptolaemus
“Never underestimate the posse of Aussi’s”
These cute little critters are actually an Austrialian ladybug that feeds on all stages of mealybug. In Canada, mealy bug is mainly found indoors on tropical plants or citrus plants, however mealy is common on orchids and other exotic plants. Mealy bugs secrete a white cotton like material which is the easiest way to identify that you have an infestation.
A vial of 25 Cryptolaemus ladybugs will cover about 5 medium plants. Just lightly mist the plants and evenly distribute the beetles over the infected plants. It is best to release these critters early in the morning or in the evenings and if possible cover the plants with a pillow case or cheese cloth. This will help in keeping the Cryptolaemus where you want them. If you are lucky, the Cryptolaemus will lay eggs and produce juveniles. These larvae look like little multilegged bugs in white sheep’s clothing. In fact, this is exactly what they are. The larvae coat themselves with the “white cotton” produced by the mealybug and then can creep up on the mealy bug without being detected. Talk about sneaky!!!.
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri belongs to the ladybug family. It is a dark brown to black predatory beetle with a red head and thorax that feeds on mealybug. Adult and larvae cryptolaemus eat every stage of many mealybug species. Cryptolaemus is very effective against high infestations.
Mealybugs are one of the hardest pests to control. The mealybugs’ body is covered with white waxy threads, which protects it from pesticides. The most common mealybug is the citrus mealybug, which attacks many ornamental crops, and sporadically cucumber, melon and eggplant. Mealybugs feed on plant sap, which cause leaf yellowing and wilting, and reduce plant vigor and growth. Mealybugs secrete honeydew, on which fungi can grow. The presence of mealybugs makes plants unmarketable.
