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Photo#29223
5013600 order?

5013600 order?
Waterfall Glen near Darien, Illinois, USA
August 20, 2005
Size: ~1/4"
I was going to shoot these aphids when I noticed this wooly creature. As I viewed thru the macro lens, it seemed to have an aphid by the leg. As I shot I noticed that the initially round aphid got shrivelled. Apparently this creature is able to suck out the juices of the aphids from a leg like a straw. After finishing this one it moved on to another. No chewing, like I would expect from a ladybird or lacewing larva. Very unusual feeding habit, and one of the few times I don't even know which order it is.

Moved
Moved from Scymnini.

Moved
Moved from Scymnus.

Mealybug destroyer?
I lean towards the larva of the mealybug destroyer, which IS a coccinellid, but I don't have any experience observing them. Its a place to start, anyway:-)

 
5013600
The body does seem like a Coccinellid, though I never knew of such feeding habits. I try to follow up. Thanks.

 
5013600 is Mealybug destroyer
Thanks again, Eric. Now I'll try to find the latin name.

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