Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus

Coccinella septempunctata is the most important predator of Eriosoma lanigerum. At Nauni (Himachal Pradesh) the overwintering female beetles start egg laying in the first week of April to 3rd week of May. Within a span of 19 days about 50% of the eggs are deposited. The female continues to lay the remaining eggs up to 50 days of its oviposition period. The post oviposition period is 9 to 14 days.

The first generation adults survive for 51-125 days (mean 82 days). The egg, larval, pupal and total life cycle lasts 3, 11-14, 5-6 and 24 days respectively during last week of August to 3rd week of September when the temperature ranges between 22 to 29°C.

The production procedure is similar to Cheilomenes sexmaculata. The egg, grub, pupal, adult male and female stages of Coccinella septempunctata are passed in 3, 9, 4, 99 and 137 days. Each female beetle is capable of laying over 800 eggs in its life time.