vedalia beetle

noun

ve·​da·​lia beetle vi-ˈdāl-yə- How to pronounce vedalia beetle (audio)
variants or less commonly vedalia
: an Australian ladybug (Rodolia cardinalis) introduced to many countries to control scale insects

Examples of vedalia beetle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the late 1800s, the vedalia beetle (Rodolia cardinalis) was imported to the U.S. to control cottony cushion scale, which was extremely destructive to citrus. Susan Pransky, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2023 The vedalia beetle was brought in to the citrus orchards of California in the 1880s to take care of a serious pest, the cottony cushion scale. Adrian Higgins, idahostatesman, 7 Feb. 2018

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, a genus name (1850), probably an arbitrary coinage

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vedalia beetle was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near vedalia beetle

Cite this Entry

“Vedalia beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vedalia%20beetle. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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