I wouldn't like to say what the larva was; there are quite a few ladybirds of this sort, not often recognised as such because they small and not brightly coloured.
In NW Europe
C. montrouzieri is commonly used for control of mealybugs in greenhouses.
However, it has been known to survive outdoors in England and even to overwinter and reproduce (as at Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley in 1997-98 where at least one was calculated to have survived thirty nights of frost).
Most finds are probably escapes from greenhouses or butterfly houses, however, who can say what might happen if winters become warmer? The species has established around the Mediterranean, unsurprisingly, where it does eat other bugs than the melaybugs ....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pudding4brains
As far as I'm concerned the "Cryptolaemus" could be any larva of tribe Scymnini - if you're not quite sure you've seen C. montrouzieri around (usually only in greenhouses!!) it's probably some other Scymnini, wouldn't even want to pin the genus to Scymnus, but maybe H-dogg or Paul know more.
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