In the mid-nineties a commercial customer called us with a mealybug problem on a large ficus tree at her home. The ficus tree was located in a poorly lit room, it was winter, and the heat made the room dry. Not exactly great conditions for biological control and we told her so. But she wanted to give it a go anyway so we asked her for the usual details: Pest info, area, infestation level, etc.
Cottony masses, a faint black line on the back on the adults, sticky honeydew, all on a Ficus benjamina. Probably citrus mealybug or close relative we figured. Based on these details we prescribed Crypts (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri). She ordered our smallest unit (100 adults).
Time Passed…
We got the call on a Monday. First thing. Our customer trying the Crypts was having a problem. Apparently it began Friday. She told us all about it. It went something like this…
The beetles didn’t work. I don’t have more mealybugs, but the ones that are there are gigantic — about 1cm long. I saw them on Friday. I almost called you, but I didn’t want to jump the gun. I couldn’t take it though the weekend, though, and by Sunday afternoon I could take it no longer so I picked them off my ficus and squished them all.
— A confused customer
The cottony masses were obliterated, the honeydew was drying up, the ficus seemed to be regaining some of its former glow. So what was wrong? How can so much positivity been noted when the problem was worse than ever? Well, the fact is, as our client learned that morning much to her chagrin, the “gigantic” mealybugs weren’t actually mealybugs at all. Between the clues noted above, and based on the client’s description of these shaggy, wild-looking mealies, the gigantic mealybugs were actually Crypts larvae — the predatory immature stage of the beetle used for control.
In other words, the client rewarded the predators for their effective performance in adverse conditions by giving them a deadly hug with her thumb and forefinger. All’s well that ends well, and apparently the level of control was so high that the mealies didn’t come back so no real harm was done by her actions. But still, on the phone we could hear a whump-whump sound; that was her kicking herself for her too-swift reaction.
Live and Learn
The moral: Be sure what you’re dealing with before reacting, and do wait until Monday of you have a question of this sort. We might just save you a sore something-or-other from all that kicking. This ever happen to you?
Note: For more photos, please check out the links in this article.
