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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Coccinelloidea » Coccinellid group » Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) » Scymninae » Dusky Lady Beetles (Scymnini) » Cryptolaemus

Genus Cryptolaemus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Internet References
Coming or going? - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Cryptolaemus montrouzieri - male ladybug larva - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Unidentified Coccinellidae - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri white bug on Torrey Pine - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Coccinelloidea
No Taxon (Coccinellid group)
Family Coccinellidae (Lady Beetles)
Subfamily Scymninae
Tribe Scymnini (Dusky Lady Beetles)
Genus Cryptolaemus
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
First described in 1853 by Étienne Mulsant
Explanation of Names
From Greek kryptos (κρυπτος)- "hidden" + laimos (λαιμος)- "throat"
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.
Internet References
Opuscules entomologiques, v.3, p.140    Mulsant's original description of the genus
Contributed by john and jane balaban on 13 October, 2004 - 1:12pm
Additional contributions by Chuck Entz, Abigail Parker
Last updated 14 September, 2010 - 6:03am

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