Australian ladybird beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant

Cotton crop belongs to the family Malvaceae and is a principle cash crop. Every part of the cotton plant is useful. The economy of the entire Gujarat state is very much dependent on success or failure of this cash crop. The predator plays an important role in controlling the pest population naturally. The information regarding the biology and feeding potential of the predator, C. montrouzieri on the cotton mealy bug, P. solenopsis is very scanty as the mealy bug species is newly emerged as a serious problem on cotton in India.