Author Topic: experience with Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (mealey bug destroyer)?  (Read 479 times)

Tropicaltoba

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I am long time enthusiastic yet relatively ineffective citrus grower in a 4 season cold climate greenhouse. I usually post on the tropical side. I was wondering if anyone has experience with Cryptolaemus montrouzieri for mealey bug and scale control in an enclosed environment? I recently found mealey bugs in my gh for the first time in 6 years (not an infestation) but have been battling soft brown scale from the start (only currently out of control on mango which I clean off 2x/week). The mealy bug destroyers are kinda pricey and was wondering if it would be possible for them to achieve a stable population? Note: I’m not looking to eradicate the mealey and soft scale, just keep their populations down.

brian

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Re: experience with Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (mealey bug destroyer)?
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2023, 03:18:06 PM »
I have tried them.  My greenhouse is very buttoned up so there isn't easy for them to simply fly away.  They unfortunately didn't seem to make a difference.  I did notice there was a new generation of the mealybug destroyers appeared some weeks after I thought they all died off, but they didn't put a dent in the mealybug population.  I have been fighting mealybugs for years and the most effective control for me has been hort oil.  Every winter when my greenhouse is packed full of plants the mealybug population booms, and I try to hose them off as best I can.  In spring when I can bring container plants outside I try my best to eradicate every mealybug and apply hort oil all over.   No pesticides seem to help, even high doses of imidacloprid. 

brian

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