Picking up the hundreds (not an exaggeration for a change - I’ve been told a million times that I exaggerate too much) of fejoas from the two trees in the garden in Mahia I came upon this little Steelblue Ladybird/Ladybug (Halmus chalybeus). It’s about 4mm long and very shiny which made photographing it quite a challenge.
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I've never seen anything like it! Ours here come in a variety of colours, all of them with black dots, but none looks anything like this one.
ReplyDeleteI've seen them here before but this is the first decent photo I've managed.
DeleteHello Graham:
ReplyDeleteWhat an astonishing looking insect. This Ladybird looks as if it has its own metal protection. Wonderful picture!
Yes it's interesting when you see the macro photo. I couldn't see that with the naked eye.
DeleteMy immediate reaction was to tell you it was a member of the chrysolina family and not a ladybird. I would have been wrong, of course, as you had obviously identified it quite correctly. I didn't know that members of the ladybird family came looking like this. It's magnificent.
ReplyDeleteThanks CJ. I was rather pleased I have to admit. You see what spending so much time with you has done.
DeleteI was thinking it to be a beetle of some sort, not a ladybird...but what do I know other than it's color is magnificent! To think that they're created with such brilliance, naturally...unlike the car paint that is man made.
ReplyDeleteWell you are correct Heather in that Ladybirds are beetles.
DeleteCool
ReplyDeleteAh, I have tried and tried to photograph these. Fabulous shots!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a colorful paper weight or a door knob. cool shot!!
ReplyDeleteWow, for something that small I must say it's a really good shot and it must be a really good camera too!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know they existed!
ReplyDeleteOur fejoa is flowering right now, we grafted on to it last year so we might get some fruit this year.
Thanks all. I did have rather a lucky day with that one.
ReplyDelete