Chilocorus kuwanae is a small black beetle from Korea that feeds on euonymus scale. It was
introduced in the National arboretum in Washington, D.C. in 1984, and has since spread to other
areas, devouring local infestations of euonymus scale from euonymus plantings. This tendency
for the beetle to eat itself out of house and home has made it difficult to establish long lasting
populations in landscapes. Studies in Maryland showed that the beetles can survive and
reproduce on San Jose scale, a common pest of woody plants in the rose family, but not on
obscure scales, common pests of oak. Although no field trials were conducted, this study shows
that other scale hosts present in Midwestern landscapes may be used to support populations of C.
kuwanae.
Source: Bull, B.C., Raupp, M.J., Hardin, M.R. and C. S. Sadof. 1993. Suitability of five horticulturally important
armored scale insects as hosts for an exotic predaceous lady beetle. J. Environ. Hort. 1: 28-30.
