Steel Blue Ladybird – Good Bug To Have In Garden Collection

Beneficial bug collection – Steel Blue Ladybird

Common Name: Steel blue ladybird

Scientific Name: Halmus chalybeus

Order: Coleoptera

Horticultural situation where found: On a Citrus leaf with evidence of chewing and sucking damage from scale and/or aphids. The steel blue ladybird is native to Eastern Australia. It's a bold looking insect with it's flashy chrome blue shell.

Method of feeding (including type of prey): Biting and chewing mouthparts that are well developed. Aphids, scale and other insects are on this guy’s menu.

Life cycles: Complete metamorphosis. Eggs, larva, pupa and adult.

Feeding stages: Both adult and larva have well developed biting and chewing mouth parts and feed on small insects such as aphids and scale.

Distinguishing features for identification: Small in size 3mm and virtually a perfect circle in shape if viewed from the top. The wing covers are shiny and uniformly dark metallic blue in colour.

Commercial availability: Was introduced to NZ in the early 1900’s to control scale, but I am unable to find evidence of current commercial availability.

Identification References (including page no): Plant protection 1, p 98 – 101; Brisbane insect’s website.

The above information and image was kindly donated by Werner (horticulturalist)

Share:

You May Also Like

Leave a Reply

Categories

Recent Posts

Follow Us