Halmus chalybeus
Halmus chalybeus, commonly known as the steelblue ladybird, is a species of ladybird (the beetle family Coccinellidae) native to Australia. It has a rounded appearance with an iridescent blue/green colouration and is a predator of other insects. It was introduced to New Zealand from Australia in 1899 and 1905 to control black scale and blue gum scale (see scale insect) on citrus trees,[2] where it is now common in northern regions. It has also been recorded eating San Jose scale. They are about 3–4 mm long.[2]
Eating the egg of a monarch butterfly
| Halmus chalybeus | |
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| On an oak leaf | |
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| Tribe: | Chilocorini |
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| Species: | H. chalybeus |
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| Halmus chalybeus | |
See also
- Harmonia conformis, the large spotted ladybird
- Illeis galbula, the Fungus-eating ladybird
- Two-spotted lady beetle
References
- "Halmus chalybeus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- Crowe, A. (2002). Which New Zealand Insect?. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin. p. 47. ISBN 0-14-100636-6.
Further reading
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Halmus chalybeus. |
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Wikispecies has information related to Halmus chalybeus. |
- Flynn, Alan Richard. 1995. "Aspects of the biology of the steel blue ladybird Halmus chalybeus (Boisduval) (Coleoptera : Coccinellida)". Thesis (MSc–Zoology (Biological Sciences)) University of Auckland. 105 leaves with illustrations.
- Lo, P. L. (December 2000) Species and abundance of ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on citrus orchards in Northland, New Zealand, and a comparison of visual and manual methods of assessment. New Zealand Entomologist 23: 61–65
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