Identification
Larva is covered with medium to long waxy curls.
Adult beetle is dark brown to black with orange/tan head and tail.
Range
Established in IN, MO, FL, CA
(1)Food
Both adults and larvae feed on mealybugs, and are regularly purchased for pest control as beneficial insects.
Life Cycle
Yellow eggs laid among mealybugs hatch to larvae which eventually pupate and emerge as adult beetles.
Remarks
Imported to the US from Australia in 1891 to control citrus mealybugs in California. Widely used for control of citrus and long-tailed mealybugs, soft scales and related pests. Will not survive cold winters, so it is mostly used in greenhouses or mild-winter areas, or has to be introduced annually.
