Laricobius osakensis is a species of
Derodontid beetle native to Japan. Described in 2011, it feeds exclusively on
hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), an invasive insect species that is destroying huge numbers of
hemlock trees in eastern North America.[2] It has shown promise as a
biological control agent in field trials.[3]
References
^Montgomery, M. E.; Shiyake, S.;
Havill, N. P.; Leschen, R. A. B. (2011). "A New Species of Laricobius (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) from Japan with Phylogeny and a Key for Native and Introduced Congeners in North America". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 104 (3): 389.
doi:
10.1603/AN10136.