Transverse Ladybird Beetle - Coccinella transversalis
FAMILY COCCINELLIDAE
This page contains information and pictures about Transverse Ladybird Beetles that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 5mm
- Transverse ladybirds are medium in size, bright orange to orange-red in colour with black pattern on their back.
Transverse ladybirds are common in Brisbane. They are active during the day. Both adults and larvae are predators of soft-bodied insects, such as aphids. Both adults and larvae can be found living on the same plants, feeding on same type of insects.
- Both the Variable Ladybird and Transverse ladybird can be found on the same milkweed plant searching for Milkweed Aphids.
- They fit well the popular image of “typical” ladybird beetles, i.e., convex, rounded, reddish orange beetles with black markings.
Larva
- Body length 7mm
- Larva is greyish brown in colour with dark markings, slender fusiform body with medium length walking legs. They feed on different species of aphids.
- Reference:
- 1. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Their biology and classification - A.Ślipiński, Australian Biological Resources, 2007, p156.
- 2. Coccinella transversalis (transverse ladybird) - ECOWATCH - CSIRO.
- 3. Transverse Ladybird Fact File - Wildlife of Sydney, Australian Museum, 2005.
- 1. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Their biology and classification - A.Ślipiński, Australian Biological Resources, 2007, p156.
