Diet of the steelblue ladybird (Halmus chalybeus) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

Most people think that ladybirds feed on aphids and some species, such as the yellow shouldered ladybird, (Apolinus lividigaster (Mulsant, 1853)) do only eat aphids, but other species eat a variety of arthropods including whitefly, mealybugs, scale insects or spidermites (Tetranychidae). Published information and recent unpublished observations show that the steelblue ladybird (Halmus chalybeus (Boisduval, 1835) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) has a very varied diet (Table 1). It is the commonest species of ladybird in Auckland and is usually found on trees and shrubs.