Field Efficacy of Australian Ladybird Beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri in the Suppression of Mealybugs on Custard Apple

Field studies were conducted for two years (2000 and 2001) with the coccinellid predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant to suppress the mealybugs Ferrisia virgata (Ckll.) and Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) on custard apple. Releases of Australian ladybird beetle C. montrouzieri were made @ 30 larvae/plant twice at 15 days interval. The results of two year study indicated that mealybug population declined from 2450.90/plant in June to 5.20 in August during 2000 in the custard apple orchard I and in the second orchard, there was reduction in the population of mealybugs from 3507.50 mealybugs/plant in July to 0.00 in September in 2001. In both the custard apple orchards, C. montrouzieri effectively controlled the mealybugs within 75 days.