Vedalia Ladybirds (Rodolia cardinalis)

2003 Australian postage stamp featuring an illustration of Vedalia Ladybirds (Rodolia cardinalis). The stamp valued at 50 cents.

Sent by Kris from Victoria, Australia.

Over the winter of 1888-1889 a lady beetle called vedalia beetle was introduced into California from Australia to combat cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi - also an introduced species. Cottony cushion scale was causing infestations so severe in California citrus groves that growers were pulling out their trees and burning them. Orchard values were plummeting. Yet, by the fall of 1889, the pest was completely controlled in the areas of introduction. The vedalia beetle literally saved the California citrus industry, and since the California success, it has been exported to many other parts of the world, often with equally successful results.

The introduction of the vedalia beetle is considered to be the beginning of classical biological control. The interest of scientists, growers and the public in this project was due to its spectacular success which was striking because the financial threat to the California citrus industry was acute; the pest itself was showy and its damage was obvious and critical; growers took the initiative and applied the natural enemies themselves; the natural enemies were visibly voracious and active; and the destruction of the pest and the recovery of the trees was evident within months. The cost of the project was about $1500.(read more).