Rhyzobius lophanthae

Rhyzobius lophanthae is a small ladybird with a length between 1.7 and 2.8 mm. The head and prothorax are dull orange or reddish-brown, as are the legs and underside. The elytra (wing cases) are dark with a metallic bronze sheen. The entire dorsal surface is covered densely with short, pale hairs interspersed with longer, darker bristles, a trait that gives it the common name, Bristly Ladybird. Unless identified by a recognised expert, good photos are required that show the key ID features. Also state the size in the comments box. R. lophanthae tends to be concentrated in anthropogenic habitats. Records are primarily associated with parks, domestic gardens, and botanical gardens, especially where cypress trees are present. Overwinters in evergreens (Ivy, Holly, etc) and conifers. Larvae and adults feed on scale insects. The high temperature requirement for reproduction restricts this species to a maximum of one, or potentially two, generations per year (univoltine or partially bivoltine) in ambient UK conditions. Consequently, the establishment success of R. lophanthae in the UK is less determined by the cold tolerance of overwintering adults and more fundamentally limited by the restricted temporal window available for reproduction. Rhyzobius lophanthae is a species native to Australia which was first recorded in the UK (London) in 2008. Widely intoduced workwide as horticultural biocontrol for scale insects.