The term 'ladybird' is a common name for a small beetle belonging to the family Coccinellidae. It is also known as a LADYBUG or lady beetle. The Vedalia beetle is a species of ladybird native to Australia and New Zealand. It was introduced to California in the late 19th century to control the cottony cushion scale, an insect pest that was devastating citrus crops. The Vedalia beetle is now widely used in biological pest control around the world.