Vedalia Beetle

Description:

Dark red beetle with black splotches. There are tiny white hairs all over the beetle. The fourth image shows the underside and the last shows the very small size of this particular spotting. The larvae can be seen at my other spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/173... and the pupa at: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/176....

Habitat:

Pomelo tree in citrus orchard in backyard. "Acacia, boxwood, citrus, magnolia, Nandina, olive, Pittosporum, and rose - all species attacked by cottony cushion scale." - BugGuide

Notes:

"Introduced from Australia to control Cottony Cushion Scale - Icerya purchasi. Over the winter of 1888-1889 a lady beetle called vedalia beetle was introduced into California from Australia to combat cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi - also an introduced species. Cottony cushion scale was causing infestations so severe in California citrus groves that growers were pulling out their trees and burning them. Orchard values were plummeting. Yet, by the fall of 1889, the pest was completely controlled in the areas of introduction. The vedalia beetle literally saved the California citrus industry, and since the California success, it has been exported to many other parts of the world, often with equally successful results. The introduction of the vedalia beetle is considered to be the beginning of classical biological control. - Cornell University. This species proved to be an immediate and spectacular success, and this success precipitated a wave of coccinellid introductions ... Available records show that 179 species have been intentionally imported into North America; 8 species have become established through accidental introductions, 5 of these had been intentionally introduced but did not become established where released. A total of 26 species of foreign Coccinellidae are now definitely or possibly established in North America, 16 of these resulting from intentional releases." - BugGuide