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In the Middle Ages, certain species of coccinellid beetles were dedicated to the Virgin Mary and named "beetles of Our Lady." As time progressed ladybird beetles, ladybirds, or ladybugs became popular names with English-speaking children.

Rodolia cardinalis is native to Australia. However, in 1868 Icerya purchasi, a cottony cushion scale (and also from Australia), was introduced to California accidentally as a serious pest of citrus in California. In 1888-1889 R. cardinalis was intentionally introduced to California because it was a natural predator of the scale. In less than 2 years the scale was under complete control and R. cardinalis adapted and flourished in the new environment. Its distribution now includes Australia, the United States, and Europe.

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Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
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Heather Martin, Southwestern University
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Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

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Rodolia cardinalis is extremely sensitive to some insecticides such as Baythroid, commonly used on citrus crops. Global populations are strong however, and require no special conservation status.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

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Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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In its North American habitat, the vedalia beetle has no natural predators and so can outcompete native ladybugs which also offer important pest control benefits.

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Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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Rodolia cardinalis is used commercially to combat scale insects injurious to citrus orchards, specifically Icerya purchasi, the cottony cushion scale. Orchard owners use this form of Integrated Pest Management(IPM)--use of a variety of strategies for the control of insect pests, including cultural, chemical, and biological controls while restricting and altering the use of pesticides--to control a pest population always present. The natural predator of Icerya Purchasi is used (R.cardinalis) instead of pesticides and other such materials. Aggregations of the beetle are collected by the bushel and sold to citrus growers. When imported from Australia to California in the 19th century,they brought with them no natural predators, making them an ideal animal to use for pest management.

Positive Impacts: controls pest population

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Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Trophic Strategy

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Both adults and larvae are voracious predators. Homopteran pests including aphids, scale insects, mealy bugs, and mites are food for R. cardinalis. Adults and larvae search the foliage of bushes and trees in search of prey.

Animal Foods: insects

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )

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Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Distribution

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Although native to Australia, Rodolia cardinalis flourishes today throughout Australia, the United States, and Europe in areas where citrus is grown.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced ); palearctic (Introduced ); australian (Native )

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Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Habitat

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Rodolia cardinalis are specialists, feeding on Icerya purchasi which in turn specialize on citrus trees. For this reason, Rodolia cardinalis live in citrus orchards and nearby hills and scrubland in areas where Icerya purchasi are also found. In addition to citrus, cottony cussion scales are found on Acacia, boxwood, citrus, magnolia, Nandina, olive, Pittosporum, and rose plants, which therefor additionally provide habitat for the vedalia beetle.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland

Other Habitat Features: suburban ; agricultural

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bibliographic citation
Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Morphology

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This species of ladybeetle, like others, has a very distinctive shape. The body is broadly oval to nearly spherical, and is strongly convex dorsally and nearly flat ventrally. The head has short antennae and is partly or completely concealed by the pronotum. Females are very red in color, while males are more black although fine body hairs often obscure the color pattern and give a decidedly grey appearance. Eggs are bright red. Mature larvae are pinkish with black markings and often have a blueish tinge.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes colored or patterned differently; female more colorful

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bibliographic citation
Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Reproduction

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Rodolia cardinalis reproduces sexually. In warm climates there are several generations each year. The bright red eggs are laid on the egg sac of the cottony cushion scale in small, closely packed masses of one or two dozen. Upon hatching, the small pinkish larvae immediately enter the sac and feed on the scale eggs. These larvae are usually found in aphid colonies.

Range eggs per season: 150 to 190.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous

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bibliographic citation
Martin, H. 2001. "Rodolia cardinalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodolia_cardinalis.html
author
Heather Martin, Southwestern University
editor
Stephanie Fabritius, Southwestern University
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Sara Diamond, Animal Diversity Web
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Novius cardinalis

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Novius cardinalis (common names vedalia beetle[2] or cardinal ladybird)[3] is a species of ladybird beetle native to Australia.[2] It was formerly placed in the genus Rodolia, but that genus was synonymized under the genus Novius in 2020.[4]

Description

The adult has a semispherical body, 2–4 millimetres (564532 in) long, covered with dense, short hairs. It is reddish-purple with black spots localized in several parts of its body, forming a net of contours between the spots. The head, posterior part of the prothorax across the full width, and the scutellum are all black.

Larva

There are typically five black spots on the elytron. Four of those are arranged on the dorso-lateral part of the elytron. The two anterior spots form an roughly half-moon shaped oval with the convexity directed towards the suture of the elytron. The two posterior ones make a more irregular shape, formed by the intersection of two circular spots. Finally, the fifth spot covers the length of the elytron's suture, enlarging towards the posterior stretch.

The antenna are short and slightly clubbed, composed of 8 items, of which the proximal is markedly pulled aside. The legs have an extended and irregularly flattened tibia, forming a space housing the tarsus when at rest. The tarsus is composed of 3 tarsomeres, as in all coccinellids.

The larva is around 5 millimetres (25128 in) long, reddish as the mature beetle or greyish, with black spots on the thorax. The left side has a series of tubercles, each bearing short bristles. The pupa is 4–5 millimetres (53225128 in) long. It is a red which darkens with age in as the abdomen darkens.

Diet

Adult feeding on Icerya purchasi

N. cardinalis regularly feed on aphids and small mites, which makes them good as biological control agents. They are only predatory to things smaller than them. Most of their food is herbivores, as carnivores are more likely to injure them as they are slow. Their flying capacities are limited so hunting in the air is not possible.

It is an active predator of cottony cushion scale Icerya purchasi.

As introduced biological control agent

New Zealand

N. cardinalis was accidentally introduced to New Zealand, though they are no longer very common.[5] An outbreak of cottony cushion scale in California took place in the late 19th century, which led to some being imported from New Zealand in 1888 to help protect citrus trees.[5]

Australia

There is a seat in the Palmer Gardens in North Adelaide, South Australia carrying a plaque that reads:

In recognition of the first ever major biological control success – the spectacular control of the cotton cushion scale insect in Californian citrus orchards by the predatory vedalia ladybird beetle.

Collected in North Adelaide in 1888.

Sponsored by the Australian Entomological Society, officially unveiled by the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, on the occasion of the AGM of the Society, 27 September 1995

California

N. cardinalis was introduced into Californian citrus orchards in late 1888.[2][5]

Distribution

Novius cardinalis is widespread to all continents except Antarctica: America (US, Central America, Caribbean, South America, from Venezuela to Chile and Argentina), Europe (Iberian Peninsula, France, Italy, Balkans, Russia), in Asia (Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Taiwan, Siberia), in Africa (northern Africa, South Africa), in Oceania (Hawaii, Guam) and, of course, in its home region, Australia.

References

Wikispecies has information related to Novius cardinalis.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rodolia cardinalis.
  1. ^ "Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant, 1850)". GBIF. Retrieved 2022-07-08.
  2. ^ a b c "Vedalia Beetle, Rodolia cardinalis". www.nysaes.cornell.edu Cornell. 2008-01-30. Archived from the original on 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  3. ^ "Atlas of Living Australia - Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant, 1850) Cardinal Ladybird". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  4. ^ Pang, H., Tang, X.-F., Booth, R.G., Vandenberg, N., Forrester, J., Mchugh, J., & Ślipiński, A. (2020) Revision of the Australian Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Genus Novius Mulsant of Tribe Noviini. Annales Zoologici 70 (1):1–24. https://doi.org/10.3161/00034541ANZ2020.70.1.001
  5. ^ a b c Crowe, A. (2002). Which New Zealand Insect?. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin. p. 47. ISBN 0-14-100636-6.
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Novius cardinalis: Brief Summary

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Novius cardinalis (common names vedalia beetle or cardinal ladybird) is a species of ladybird beetle native to Australia. It was formerly placed in the genus Rodolia, but that genus was synonymized under the genus Novius in 2020.

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