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It has set its sights on a bizarre-looking insect larva known as the mealybug ladybird, which sports a coat of white, waxy filaments that resembles fleece.

He notes that C. montrouzieri was initially introduced to the Mediterranean to help protect citrus orchards from the hungry mealybugs threatening them—hence its nickname, “mealybug destroyer.”

Healthy peonies can handle light mealybug activity, but if feeding is heavy, a forceful stream of water or application of an insecticidal soap or narrow-range oil may be warranted.

He said his operation uses chlorpyrifos on rare occasions, such as during an outbreak of the vine mealybug on grape crops.

The industry was saved from collapse only by breeding resistance to the viruses that cause cassava mosaic disease, and through biological control of mealybug and other pests in the 1980s.