Don’t take it as read

Ladybird Beetles belong to the family Coccinellidae. There are several proposed origins of this word one of which is that it is derived from the Latin ‘coccinus’ meaning ‘scarlet’. The common view is that the ladybird is predominantly red with black spots. There are about 500 species of ladybird in Australia but not all of them are red and black.

The beetle pictured left is a Mealybug Ladybird (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri). Like most ladybirds this species in both the adult and nymphal forms are highly predatory of soft-bodied sap-sucking insects such as scale insects, aphids, etc. This one has a penchant for mealybugs. The female ladybird lays her eggs amongst the mealybug eggs and the hatched ladybird nymphs attack both the eggs and the emerging nymphs of the mealy bug.

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The black and yellow ladybird pictured right is a Fungus-eating Ladybird Beetle (Illeis galbula). It is a vegetarian feeding on pollen in Spring but on powdery mildew at other times. Powdery mildew is a type of fungus that forms on the surface of leaves. The mouthparts of the Fungus-eating Ladybird are modified to be able to scrape the leaf surface. The FELB are commonly found on the leaves of cucurbits – zucchinis, pumpkins, squashes, etc.

For those whose world view has collapsed at seeing ladybirds that are other than red and black, here’s a picture for you (below).