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Pest Control via the Black Ladybug

October 21st, 2009 Posted in Beetles & Ladybugs

The most common ladybug is simply red with black spots, but have you ever stumbled upon a black ladybug? One species of black ladybug, has become known as the mealybug destroyer.

This epic title refers to their affinity for eating all mealybugs in their path. Mealybugs eat plants and crops, especially citrus. This species of ladybug was imported to the United States in 1891 from Australia, to help control the citrus mealybug population in California.


This article gives you info about:

• Description
• Habitat
• Life Cycle
• Feeding Habits
• Management

Description

The technical name for this species of black ladybug is Cryptolaemus Montrouzieri. They are pretty small, about 3-4 millimeters long. They are black with a tan to orange head and abdomen. When they are feeding on mealybugs their larvae grow larger than normal. They develop waxy appendages that makes them look like the mealybugs their feeding on, even though they’re about twice the size of them.

Habitat

They’re found mostly in the coastal regions of California. They’re found in greenhouses and citrus orchards because gardeners and farmers purposely release them to help deal with mealybugs. Basically, anywhere the mealybug is, the mealybug destroyer is soon to follow.

Life Cycle

Their metamorphosis begins with them hatching from eggs laid near an area filled with mealybugs. These larvae grow into pupae, just from eating so many mealybugs. They enter a pupal cocoon and then emerge into adult ladybugs. They need a little time in the sun to gain coloration and to fully allow their wings to dry from their time in the cocoon.

Feeding Habits

Obviously big fans of the mealybugs, they eat aphids, soft scales, and other small bugs to fulfill their predatory needs. However, they thrive best when mealybug populations are thriving. They should be released for pest control in early spring to be most effective. The mealybug destroyer tends to be most active at eating mealybugs at 70° or higher.


It takes about 2 to 5 black ladybugs to clear each plant or crop covered with mealybugs. It’ll take about 1,000-2,000 adult ladybugs per acre of crops. As said before, both larva and adult feed on mealybug, but they each have their own preferences.


Adult and young larva prefer to feed on mealybug eggs, while older larva attack the mealybug at every stage of their life cycle. One larva can consume up to 250 smaller mealybugs, while adult mealybug destroyers can consume twice as much.

Management

When using the black ladybug as pest control, there are a few steps to ensure successful pest removal. Make sure to release the mealybug destroyer in early spring because they cannot survive a cold winter. They must be reintroduced each year to deal with any mealybug infestations. Once released, they tend to disperse.


Thus when indoors, close windows and vents to help focus the ladybugs pest control. Studies have shown that if honeydew is present ladybug adults and larva will spend more time searching and eating mealybugs. If mealybugs are scarce, the ladybugs will have a harder time removing them. The ladybugs will fly off to find other insects much quicker than normal.

If using mealybug destroyers doesn’t do the job, try EcoSMART’s organic insecticide. Free of chemicals and environmentally safe, the Garden Insect Killer is the effective way to get rid of mealybugs and other pests from your garden.