INTRODUCTION Mealybugs are the major pests of crops in India due to elimination of natural biocontrol agents or due to indiscriminate application of pesticides. Coccinellids are the most studied groups of predators primarily focused on their role as natural enemies of soft-bodied insect pests (Riddick et al., 2009). Cryptolaemus montrouzieri is one of the most important coccinellid predators used for biocontrol of the mealybug pests since its larvae and adult life stages both feed on the prey (Poorani, 2002). Several pathogens and parasitoids were known to attack different coccinellid predators. A number of hymenopteran parasitoids act as larval or larval or pupal parasitoids of predatory coccinellids (Gautam, 1994; Kranti et al., 2008). Although knowledge of naturally occurring hymenopteran parasitoids associated with C. montrouzieri was limited. Therefore, present study has been taken to investigate parasitoids emerging from coccinellids associated with different mealybug species from various ecosystem. MATERIAL AND METHODS Surveys were conducted to collect coccinellid predators associated with mealybug species in different districts of Karnataka. Mealybugs infested plant parts along with predatory larval coccinellid, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri were collected and reared on different stages of mealybug until adulthood. During rearing, the emergence of parasitoids was noticed from the pupae of coccinellid predator, C. montrouzieri. The emerged parasitoids were collected and preserved in 70 % ethanol with proper labels for taxonomic identification from experts. The adults of the encyrtid parasitoid, Cowperia indica emerging from parasitized pupae of C. montrouzieri is shown in Plate 1. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A parasitoid, Cowperia indica (Kerrich) (Encyrtidae) was found parasitizing the pupa of a coccinellid predator, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera) predating on mealybugs viz., Ferrsia virgata, Planococcus citri and Planococcus lilacinus on different hosts viz., guava, neem and cocoa, respectively during the study period. Similarly, Kazmi and Kumar (2012) recorded C. indica emerging from pupae of C. montronzieri. Several species of the genus Homalotylus have also been recorded as parasitoids of coccinellid larvae in the subfamilies Coccinellinae, Chilocorinae and Scymninae (Ceryngier and Hodek, 1996). Parasitization of coccinellid predator, Cheilomenes sexmaculata by encyrtid parasitoid, Homalotylus sp. was reported by Megha et al. (2015). The parasitoid, C. indica may limit populations of C. montrouzieri which is a potential predator of mealybug pest in different ecosystem. Further studies need to be carried out to determine the ability of coccinellid predators to defend themselves against attack from various parasitoids.