Halmus chalybeus

Halmus chalybeus, commonly known as the steelblue ladybird, is a species of ladybird in the beetle family Coccinellidae and the genus Halmus that is native to Australia.^[2] Adult and larval steelblue ladybirds eat a variety of small insects including but not limited to scale insects, psyllids, whitefly and free living gall mites (Eriophyoidea).^[2]

Halmus chalybeus
On an oak leaf
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Coccinellidae
Genus:	Halmus
Species:	H. chalybeus
Binomial name
Halmus chalybeus (Boisduval, 1835) [1]

Appearance

Halmus chalybeus has a rounded appearance with an iridescent blue/green colouration and is a predator of other insects. It was introduced to New Zealand from Australia in 1899 and 1905 to control black scale and blue gum scale (see scale insect) on citrus trees,^[3] where it is now common in northern regions. It has also been recorded eating San Jose scale. They are about 3–4 mm long.^[3]

Eating the egg of a monarch butterfly

See also

• Harmonia conformis, the large spotted ladybird
• Illeis galbula, the fungus-eating ladybird
• Two-spotted lady beetle