Rodolia cardinalis

Description:

This little ladybird was so small it could almost fit through the mosquito net seen in these pictures. About 2-3mm overall.

Habitat:

In an outer urban nature reserve with a sparse mix of grasses, small eucalyptus, acacia, kunzea, pomaderris and others.

Notes:

Vedalia beetle. This beetle feeds specifically on cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi) with the adults and mature larvae attacking all scale stages of growth. It was the first bio-control agent moved from one part of the world to another to manage an out-of-control pest.
http://www.biocontrol.entomology.cornell...
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:b...