ID Please :-)

Howdy All,

As you can see when compared to the size of these tiny Argentine ants, this fuzzy guy is pretty small. There were several of them on one of the Lion's Tail plants at my local Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden. I only saw one actually crawl around. The ants left them alone. What are they?

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …7193_zpsb28fbbe​1.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …7248_zpsa6be31f​5.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …7205_zpsfdfcf65​0.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …2300_zpsf686ba8​0.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …3088_zpsffbf4e9​8.jpg.html

Lovely captures. Think #1 is a mealy bug destroyer. The larva of a small beetle Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
Brian v.

Lovely set, nice colour contrast on the flower shots.

Very nice set, Dave.

Howdy All,

Thanks George and Ishrani .

Brian: Thanks for the ID! After Googling Cryptolaemus montrouzieri , it all makes sense now. The day before, I happened to have taken a photo of the beetle stage of your ID'd Cryptolaemus montrouzieri on another plant. It's a perfect match .

Cryptolaemus montrouzieri: Beetle Stage

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …7133_zps3acdbb2​4.jpg.html

Lovely set, Dave

Great set Dave.