Preventive control with Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
Cryptoline is a biological control agent containing adult Cryptolaemus montrouzieri beetles along with a feeding strip. Both adults and larvae are effective predators of mealybugs (Pseudococcus species).
Benefits of Cryptoline :
- ✅Wide-ranging predator: Targets various mealybug species and also feeds on soft scale.
- ✅Aggressive action: Actively attacks mealybug eggs and young stages (crawlers and instars).
Main uses
Mealybugs & Soft scale
How it works
Adult female Cryptolaemus beetles lay up to 10 eggs per day and can produce up to 500 eggs over their lifetime. The larvae that hatch are large, white, and cottony often mistaken for mealybugs due to their appearance. Both adult beetles and young larvae feed on mealybug eggs, crawlers, and juvenile stages. Larger Cryptolaemus larvae are capable of consuming adult mealybugs as well. Their life cycle takes between 4 and 7 weeks, depending on temperature. Cryptolaemus larvae are sometimes called "a wolf in sheep’s clothing" because they closely resemble the mealybugs they prey on. This strategy allows them to infiltrate mealybug colonies undetected. Cryptoline is especially effective in crops with longer growing cycles where the beetle can establish and sustain a population.
