What are tiny white fuzzy bugs?

[Beverly]

Only one or two species have larva that look as you describe.

 

[Chuck]

Only one or two species have larva that look as you describe.

Thanks, I stand corrected. I have learned something today. I have never seen nor heard of Scymnus before and they do look like some mealybugs. The only ladybug larvae here are the black and orange lizard looking things or at least I think so. I hope I haven't been killing ladybugs for years without knowing it.

 

[Beverly]

@Chuck The reason that i know this is because i researched lady beetles a few years ago after i had learned that i had been killing lady beetle larva and it made me sick at heart. So, i researched all the different kinds of lady beetle larva and found quite a variety of sizes and shapes. In fact, i took the above photo to post it to this site (not this thread because this is the first time i've seen this thread) alerting people that this indeed is a lady beetle larva but i've just not gotten around to it. I believe the 2 species that have mealy bug looking larva have a range through the US southern states and up the eastern seaboard into New England, in addition to Mexico, Central and South America. One way to recognize the difference between mealies and lady beetle larva is that the mealies have a tendency to stay put, and the look alike lady beetle larva have a tendency to keep on the move searching leaves for aphids. If you see a mealie running around like the church lady late for a sermon, it is NOT a mealie, but a lady beetle larva

 

[Chuck]

@Chuck The reason that i know this is because i researched lady beetles a few years ago after i had learned that i had been killing lady beetle larva and it made me sick at heart. So, i researched all the different kinds of lady beetle larva and found quite a variety of sizes and shapes. In fact, i took the above photo to post it to this site (not this thread because this is the first time i've seen this thread) alerting people that this indeed is a lady beetle larva but i've just not gotten around to it. I believe the 2 species that have mealy bug looking larva have a range through the US southern states and up the eastern seaboard into New England, in addition to Mexico, Central and South America. One way to recognize the difference between mealies and lady beetle larva is that the mealies have a tendency to stay put, and the look alike lady beetle larva have a tendency to keep on the move searching leaves for aphids. If you see a mealie running around like the church lady late for a sermon, it is NOT a mealie, but a lady beetle larva

Well, I will tell you one thing. I will be a LOT more observant in the future.
Do these things act like mealybugs? I mean do they tend to form a bunch of them or do they seem to act singularly?

 

[Beverly]

@Chuck no they don't act like mealybugs which have a tendency to huddle together and are sap suckers so they don't move around very much, and are gooey like aphids. And you will not find them huddled together in the crook of a tree or plant (unless they are eating the mealies but i don't know if mealies are a food source for them). The Lady Beetle larva act very much like adult Lady Beetles. They eat mostly aphids with some insect eggs, etc. So they are on the move most of the time looking for food. They will gather together if there is a large group of aphids in one place. I have never seen them huddle together though and mostly they are singular. They must stake out their territory somehow. If it appears that there are too many larva at one food source some will leave and continue the hunt. You may not have these Lady Beetle larva that are mealy bug look alikes, but it would be fun to find some. The tiny one in the photo above, i recently found on the wall. I put out a finger and after some thought it crawled onto my finger and i deposited it on the plant leaf. The protruding part pointing downward is mouth/head.

 

[Chuck]

@Chuck no they don't act like mealybugs which have a tendency to huddle together and are sap suckers so they don't move around very much, and are gooey like aphids. And you will not find them huddled together in the crook of a tree or plant (unless they are eating the mealies but i don't know if mealies are a food source for them). The Lady Beetle larva act very much like adult Lady Beetles. They eat mostly aphids with some insect eggs, etc. So they are on the move most of the time looking for food. They will gather together if there is a large group of aphids in one place. I have never seen them huddle together though and mostly they are singular. They must stake out their territory somehow. If it appears that there are too many larva at one food source some will leave and continue the hunt. You may not have these Lady Beetle larva that are mealy bug look alikes, but it would be fun to find some. The tiny one in the photo above, i recently found on the wall. I put out a finger and after some thought it crawled onto my finger and i deposited it on the plant leaf. The protruding part pointing downward is mouth/head.

This is a relief. I don't think this type of ladybug exists here so maybe I haven't murdered any of them.

 

[ploverson]

Actually, it is mealy bug and not lady bug. An insecticidal soap can use to kill mealy bug.

 

[Beverly]

You are not correct @ploverson. It is not a mealy bug. Please take a look at the links i cited in post #27 above and the following conversations. It is indeed lady bug larva that looks somewhat like a mealy bug but in fact is not.

 

[Angel Gonzalez]

I know this is a pretty old post, but I just found the same thing on my yard and recorded it. Could you tell me if this is what you saw... https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiQYhuB9ON/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=yc1f6uvjm1b8