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Project Noah Nature School
Icerya purchasi
White waxy fluted egg case with a female scale insect attached to the branch in front (pink/blue tinted). She stays there sucking plant juice until her offspring are released. The egg case has just split to release the tiny red nymphs which run in all directions. A ladybird (ladybug) was found inside the case. It looks like Rodolia cardinalis which preys on these creatures.
On acacia in dense undergrowth in tall eucalyptus forest.
The pest that launched a revolution in pest control methods... http://gardenbees.com/biological%20contr... http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/frui...
Spotted on Jan 18, 2012
Submitted on Jan 18, 2012
11 Comments
Thanks a lot Mary, Satyen, Eulalia. Sorry it's such a pest overseas :)
One amazing spot and wonderful information.
Thanks for sharing this one Argy. Amazing notes. Any idea where I can get some assassin bugs on lease? :-)
We have done the same way:
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/791... (Icerya purchasi)
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/790... (Cardinal ladybird)
For me it was an interesting research because I did not know these animals and gradually I came to the micro world of them.
thanks for the comments everyone - you've reminded me I haven't finished this one
Interesting photos.
Way Cool!
very interesting...thanks
Oh my god! This is sooo weird!
Oh wow martinl. Thanks so much for that. Had no idea it was all going as normal. I'll have to read more. I'm sure the ladybird is not a helping midwife however.
Nice sighting argybee. This cotton cushion scale insect is female and grows a large waxy egg container underneath herself. These have just hatched and are now scattering. Hatchlings of hemipterans are called runners and often stay together for protection in numbers until they get larger. I am not entirely sure that the adult is healthy but may have been damaged by some undetermined factor. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/788...