Southern ladybird

Description:

A bright orange-yellow beetle, about 5 to 6mm long, with black wavy markings on both head and thorax. The outer margins of the elytra had a slight flare.

Habitat:

Acacia wattle tree

Notes:

Looking much like the Transverse Ladybird, this little beetle is a native of Tasmania but is widespread in the southern states of mainland Australia. It feeds on Chrysomelid beetle eggs (leaf beetles) and psyllids. The southern ladybird was introduced in New Zealand in 1980s to control psyllids that were destroying solanaceous plants (tomato, potato,capsicum, egg plants, tamarillos)