Larvae and prey of three native ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

Gordon (2010) lists 44 named species of ladybird in New Zealand of which 23 are native. Prey of only 4 native species has been recorded. Coccinella leonina Fabricius, 1775 has been recorded feeding on at least 10 species of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Aphididae) while Harmonia antipodum Mulsant, 1848 is recorded feeding on native Coccidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and an Australian psyllid (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Psyllidae). Stethorus bifidus Kapur, 1948 and S. griseus Chazeau, 1979 both mainly feed on spider mites, Tetranychidae. Read (1965) describes the larvae of C. leonina and two other species of ladybird associated with grassland and crops.