Skip to main content
Today is World Environment Day!
Close

Large Mealybug - female

Monophlebulus sp.

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-37.949, 145.252

Field Notes

Description:

This soft hemipteran was about 20 mm long with bright orange over all body segments and a bluish hue in the intersegmental areas. There was a lateral ray of soft setae.

Habitat:

Spotted on a tea-tree in a national park (Churchill NP)

Notes:

It was a pity I could not get any sunlight on to this mealybug to show more of the colour. <br>
Females are wingless. They feed on plant sap and develop a waxy substance over their bodies for protection. <br>
Family: Pseudococcidae <br>
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:be…

Reference Links:

Mealybug - Wikipedia

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
Leuba Ridgway
I agree Jim - creatures here are fascinating. I wish more people would take time to understand and appreciate these smaller invertebrates. I am lucky and I've learnt heaps since joining PN and actively spotting for the project.
Jim Nelson
Anything from Australia is fascinating to me...I envy your access to such amazing creatures, Leuba!
Leuba Ridgway
Thanks Christine. I have always been envious of Mark, my husband, who always spots these. Like you, I have only ever found the small ones. They are amazingly colourful aren't they ?
Christine Y.
Beautiful and so primitive looking! Not to mention HUGE! I saw some mealybugs over the weekend and the largest was about 3-4mm, lol. Yours are definitely more colorful and much larger. Great find :)

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Dandenong Ranges - fauna & flora

Tags

Photographed
PublishedOctober 9, 2017

Community Sponsor

Butterfly
Become a Community Sponsor and Help Grow our Global Movement!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Butterflies icon
Become a Community Sponsor

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon

Nature & Conservation Organizations

Brands & Mission-Focused Companies