{"product_id":"bugs-for-bugs-cryptolaemus-montrouzieri","title":"Bugs for Bugs Cryptolaemus montrouzieri","description":"\u003cp\u003eBugs for Bugs Cryptolaemus montrouzieri offers an Australian native ladybird for managing mealybugs and selected soft scale insects. Both the beetles and their larvae feed on these pests, with a choice of life stage to suit how the infestation is distributed. Adults are strong fliers that search through the crop, while larvae can be placed directly into pest hotspots where feeding is needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe two life stages look very different. Adults have an orange head and dark wing covers; larvae are covered in waxy filaments and can easily be mistaken for mealybugs. Adult females lay eggs into mealybug egg masses, placing their offspring near a food source. Adults and larvae eat eggs and young pest stages, and larger larvae can also consume adult mealybugs. Recognising those waxy predator larvae is an important part of monitoring an established population.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCryptolaemus is used in orchards, field crops, glasshouses and indoor atria. Introductions work best at the first signs of pest activity, before colonies have become extensive. For a concentrated problem, larvae arrive on feeding strips that can be placed close to the infestation; adults can disperse through a wider treated area. Green lacewings complement it within a broader mealybug programme. Ants, dust, wind and disruptive lighting can all affect how readily the beetles establish.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExpect to follow progress rather than judge the result by how many adults remain visible. Flying beetles may quickly become difficult to find, and their offspring take time to develop. Regularly inspect pest colonies for feeding larvae and changes in pest pressure, taking care not to remove the beneficial larvae by mistake. Sleeve cages can help establish a breeding population. Where pesticides have been used, check their residual effects before release; a spray that leaves the foliage looking clean can still prevent the predators from settling in.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTE:\u003c\/strong\u003e These are living insects with a short shelf life, so we don't hold them in store. Your order ships fresh, direct from the breeder.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eSpecies image credits: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, 1853.png - Udo Schmidt (URSchmidt); CC BY-SA 4.0; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Cryptolaemus_montrouzieri_Mulsant,_1853.png\"\u003esource\u003c\/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\"\u003eCC BY-SA 4.0\u003c\/a\u003e. Background removed and resized. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri InsectImages 1475022.jpg - Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; CC BY 3.0 us; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Cryptolaemus_montrouzieri_InsectImages_1475022.jpg\"\u003esource\u003c\/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/us\/deed.en\"\u003eCC BY 3.0 us\u003c\/a\u003e. Cropped to square above the image-number strip and resized.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bugs for Bugs","offers":[{"title":"100 Adult Beetles","offer_id":67640391532702,"sku":"PLACEHOLDER355213213302","price":79.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200 Larvae","offer_id":67640391565470,"sku":"PLACEHOLDER355213213303","price":79.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 Larvae","offer_id":67640391598238,"sku":"PLACEHOLDER355213213301","price":44.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/5261\/6094\/files\/Bugs_for_Bugs_Cryptolaemus_montrouzieri_-_Pack_-_01.png?v=1793442033","url":"https:\/\/www.hydrooasis.com.au\/products\/bugs-for-bugs-cryptolaemus-montrouzieri","provider":"Hydro Oasis","version":"1.0","type":"link"}