Novius koebelei is a species of ladybird beetle native to Australia.[1] It is also present in the wild in New Zealand, where it is of exotic origin.[2] In New Zealand, it was first reported in 2006, having been found in Auckland.[3] It has been known under many names; due to variation in its colouration, it has been described as new six times after its original description in 1892.[4]
This species was introduced into California for biocontrol, alongside N. cardinalis. It is not thought to persist there now, however.[5]
Compared to the better-known Novius cardinalis, koebelei typically has much more strongly confluent markings. This often creates a large concurrent red patch on each elytron, though some individuals may be entirely uniform red, and other variants exist.[4]