#illeis koebelei
“Is this good for my mikan tree or bad? It was walking and sitting on the branches, not on the leaves… This is near Osaka.”
Hello, thanks for your submission!
There are lots of small beetles that look like ladybugs, but I am fairly certain this is a yellow ladybug (they do exist!). It might even be Illeis koebelei, a small yellow ladybug that feeds on mildew.
(compare with this image)
https://mushinavi.com/
キイロテントウ
Illeis koebelei
If it’s a ladybug, you can rest assured it’s definitely good for the mikan tree, as these little beetles clean mildew off the plant. Other ladybug species (such as the famous Seven Spotted) are predators and feed on small insects, particularly aphids but they will eat anything they can outrun. It’s amazing what a diversity of animals you can find even on a single tree! Thanks for your submission!
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