Development and survival of larvae of two predatory ladybird species, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) and Coccinella septempunctata L. on hibiscus (Hibiscus syridis L.) trees was followed daily outdoors during four seasons. Data were analysed and stage-specific mortality in a stage-structured model was estimated using Manly's (1997) method. Subsequently, key factor analysis was used to determine the life stages in which the daily mortality was best correlated with the total mortality during larval life. Consistently with the results from the first two years, the larvae suffered the greatest mortality during the first and fourth instars. The k-values for these two instars were also best correlated with those for the whole larval life, especially in H. axyridis.