Scouts often encounter these when checking terminals but don't realize they are lady beetles. The larvae of these lady beetles are covered with fuzzy white filaments of waxy material and resemble mealy bugs. Larvae, as well as adults, are often seen in association with aphid colonies. Lady beetles are heavy feeders as both larvae and adults. Aphids are the favored prey for many species, but they will also feed on caterpillar eggs and small larvae as well as mites and whiteflies.
Adults also feed on pollen and nectar.
Lady beetle larvae and adults are abundant in most cotton fields now and are one of the factors that are helping to slow overall population growth of cotton aphids. Most lady beetles seem to feed preferentially on aphids when these are present. However, when an aphid population crashes due to an outbreak of fungal disease, the lady beetles are forced to pursue other food, such as caterpillar eggs and small larvae. The adults may leave the begin to leave the field in search of better food sources, but the wingless larvae do not have this option. There is more field to field variation showing up.