Balsam-woolly-aphid
Guides
Laricobius erichsonii
Laricobius erichsonii is a small predatory beetle in the family Derodontidae, native to Europe and the sole European representative of the genus. It has been introduced to North America as a biological control agent for the balsam woolly aphid (Adelges piceae), with releases in eastern Canada since 1933 and in Oregon and Washington from 1957–1960. The species is one of the more numerous predators of A. piceae in its native range. It belongs to the widespread Holarctic group within Laricobius, characterized by an elongate body and transverse, fully explanate pronotum.