The warm Florida climate brings many invasive species to this state. Many are destructive, taking over habitat and harming native species, threatening their very survival. Some non-native species are not invaders, however. Humans brought a few of them here on purpose. One example is the red chilocorus ladybug.
In 1996 it was released in Florida to control citrus snow scale, which was a threat to orange crops. Native to Southeast Asia, Chilocorus circumdatus is rich orange with a black band around the base of the wing covers. Its larva are orange with black spines, and they feed on various types of scale insects. They are now fairly common, and can be found on many citrus trees.
Citrus snow scale is no longer a serious threat to the citrus industry. It can be easily distinguished by the white shields of the males, which often gather in groups. This gives the appearance of snow, hence the name.
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Steven Long Photography 