''Nephus sordidus'', known generally as the little brown mealybug destroyer or sordid ladybug, is a species of dusky lady beetle in the family

Coccinellidae Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...

. It is found in North America. In California's San Joaquin Valley, ''N. sordidus'' is an important predator of mealybugs on grapes, pistachios, and almonds, including

vine mealybug ''Planococcus ficus'', commonly known as the vine mealybug, is a species of mealybug, belonging to the family Pseudococcidae, native to tropical and subtropical regions. The vine mealybug is found in Europe, Northern Africa, Southern Africa, the ...

, grape mealybug, and Gill's mealybug (''Ferrisia gilli'').

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Further reading