ABSTRACT The mealybug destroyer Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a globally recognized predator of mealybugs and an important candidate for biological control programs. This study evaluated the demographic characteristics and predation performance of C. montrouzieri fed on Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) under controlled laboratory conditions (27°C ± 1°C, 70% ± 5% RH, 16:8 h L:D). Using the age‐stage, two‐sex life table approach, we quantified stage‐specific development, survival, fecundity, and predation rates to provide a comprehensive population‐level assessment. The preadult survival rate was 0.586, mean fecundity reached 117.0 eggs/female, and the net reproductive rate (R 0 ), intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and mean generation time (T) were 38.5 offspring, 0.1116 day −1 , 1.1181 day −1 , and 32.7 day, respectively. The net predation rate (C 0 ), transformation rate (Qₚ), and finite predation rate (ω) were 245.2 preys, 6.38, and 24.9 day −1 , respectively. Population projections indicated a rapid increase across three generations and substantial cumulative predation potential. Our results hint that C. montrouzieri exhibits strong demographic performance and high predatory capacity when reared on P. marginatus , highlighting its efficiency as a biological control agent. The integration of life table and predation models provides a precise framework for predicting predator–prey dynamics and optimizing release strategies in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Future research under field and fluctuating temperature conditions is recommended to validate its large‐scale biocontrol efficacy.
Rostami et al. (Thu,) studied this question.