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Epilachna mjoebergi WeiseLadybirds
While out and about the garden I came across this ladybird. I thought I’d try to identify it, so I “googled” “Australian ladybirds” and came up with a wonderful site edited by my former colleagues Adam Slipinsky, Anne Hastings and Ben Boyd. By making comparison in the “Gallery” I quickly determined it to be Epilachna mjoebergi Weise. Further persistence in the site revealed that it was distinct from all others by not only its colour pattern and the presence of “pubescence” on its dorsum. Further reading revealed it fed on a variety of plants including the Solanaceae—I found it on a chilli plant! Still further I was able to determine that it was one of 10 species recorded from Australia and that some are pests. Plenty of references are provided on the site. All this information in less than 10 minutes of effort. Ain’t the web grand!
