Genus Cryptolaemus

Classification · Numbers · Range · Habitat · Season · Food

Cryptolaemus? - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Mealybug Destroyer - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Weird little spiky bug, any ideas? - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Coming or going? - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Cucujoidea (Flower, Flat Bark and Ladybird Beetles)

Family Coccinellidae (Lady Beetles)

Subfamily Scymninae

Tribe Scymnini

Genus Cryptolaemus

Numbers

One introduced species in North America.

Range

Widely introduced throughout North America.

Habitat

Widely released for biocontrol both outdoors (especially orchards and other cultivated agricultural areas) and indoors (arboretums, shopping malls, greenhouses).

Season

Outdoors: Cannot survive cold weather, but may be found as far north as Canada in the warm months due to biocontrol release. Year-round from Florida to southern California.

Indoors: Year-round.

Food

Primarily mealybugs; if these are unavailable, will also eat aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects.

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 13 October, 2004 - 1:12pm
Additional contributions by Abigail Parker
Last updated 30 October, 2009 - 8:09am

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