An Australian ladybird which has been introduced into California and elsewhere to control scale insects.
- Rodolia cardinalis, family Coccinellidae
- Researchers raised vedalia beetles to use in orchards that had outbreaks of cottony cushion scale.
- The importation of the vedalia beetle was the beginning of the modern era of biological control.
- When vedalia beetles arrive in an orchard they can clean up a nasty problem in 4-6 weeks.
Late 19th century: modern Latin Vedalia (former genus name), of unknown origin.
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Line breaks: ve|da¦lia beetle
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