Not a lady bug
October 28, 2009
We have a bug SWARMING our house in Stillwater NJ. It kind of looks like a lady bug. They get through the smallest openings and there are thousands outside and hundreds getting inside. We have heard that they are everywhere in this area now (late October). Can you tell me what they are and how to keep them out of the house?
KayJayW
Northwest NJ
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
Dear KayJayW,
These are Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles, Harmonia axyridis, an invasive introduced species that often invades homes in multitudes to escape the cold weather. It is a beneficial species in its own environment in its native Asia, but as an introduced species, it has many problematic characteristics. If it was possible to overlook the home invasion, the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles are considered largely responsible for the decline in numbers of native species of Lady Beetles, so they invasive species has a negative impact on the environment because of the loss of native diversity. You should be able to find plenty of information on this species online now that you know its name. Try the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet among others.
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles
small bug, with yellow stripes
July 13, 2009
do you know what kind of bug this is, and is it poisonous?
Joyce
northeastern Pennsylvania
Lady Beetle Larva
Hi Joyce,
In recent weeks, we have had countless requests for the identification of Lady Beetle Larvae, the immature form of Ladybugs, but since out computer was so slow, we did not post any, nor could we take the time to respond personally. Our fast new computer is allowing us to address ever so many more identification requests. The larvae of the Lady Beetle is not poisonous. They are predators of plant feeding insects like aphids, and we have gotten reports of people being bitten by larval Lady Beetles, but the bite is just a harmless nip.
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Posted 13 July 2009
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Please identify yellow bug with black hairs
Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 1:20 PM
I have looked all over the internet and cannot find a name or description for this bug. I know someone out there knows what it is. This is a small yellow-bodied beetle-like bug with six legs and lots of single straight black hairs all over its back. I found this and several others eating holes in my zucchini leaves. I assume since it is eating holes that it is not a “good” bug to keep around. But I have never seen one of these before. I appreciate any help you can give.
Jessica Moore
Charlotte, NC
Squash Lady Beetle Larva
Hi Jessica,
We were certain you had a beetle larva, but we thought it must be a Leaf Beetle Larva. By searching for squash beetle with a search engine, we quickly identified your Squash Lady Beetle Larva on BugGuide. Most Lady Beetles are beneficial predators, but the Squash Lady Beetle, Epilachna borealis, is one of the few species that feeds on plants. According to BugGuide: “The insect and its spiny larvae eat the leaves of squash, cantaloupe, and other cucurbits. An unusual characteristic of this insect is that it circles the leaf area in which it is going to feed. “
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Posted 29 June 2009
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Bug Link Suggestion
Fri, May 29, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Hi WTB,
Your site is an invaluable resource to us here at Everything Ladybug. We hope you will take a look at our site and consider it for your bug links section.
regards,
Kevin and Angie Hale
http://www.everything-ladybug.com/
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Posted 31 May 2009
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Bug Found on our Milkweed
Sun, May 24, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Found this bug on our milkweed plants. We had Monarch eggs and caterpillars but now there are none. Is this a bug we should suspect has hurt our Monarch eggs and caterpillars? What is this bug?
Ira in Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Ladybird Larva
Dear Ira,
This is the larva of a Ladybird Beetle or Lady Bug. The presence of this larva indicates that there are probably Aphids on your milkweed. The Ladybird Larva will eat Aphids, but it will not bother the Monarch Caterpillars. You must have another culprit.
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Posted 24 May 2009
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Ladybug with 12 white spots?
Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 2:27 AM
Hi
I found this in my house.
Can you tell me what kind of bug it is?
Kind regards
Vamdrup, Denmark
Cream Spot Ladybird
Dear Reader,
Though your letter specifies 12 spots, we believe this is a Cream Spot Ladybird, Calvia quatuordecimguttata, which is reported to have 14 spots. We count 14 spots including the two on the pronotum. It is a common European species according to Ladybirds of Western Europe website. We also located a pdf that has images of European Ladybirds: ladybird-descriptiona22d8d.
Cream Spot Ladybird
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Posted 13 April 2009
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Twice-stabbed Ladybug?
Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:21 AM
I believe this is a twice-stabbed ladybug. I did not see a photo on your ladybug page of this species. It was photographed in southern Utah.
Mieander
Southern Utah
Ladybird Beetle
Hi Mieander,
While it is possible that this is a Twice-Stabbed Ladybird Beetle, Chilocorus stigma , there is another species in the genus that is found in your area that has larger spots. According to BugGuide, Chilocorus cacti, is found in Arizona and New Mexico, but it looks like a better match. The species is associated with Prickly Pear cactus.
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Posted 20 November 2008
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What’s this beetle?
Sat, Nov 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Unusual beetle found in our home. See attached photo.
Curious.
Mckinleyville, Humboldt County, California.
Unknown Ladybird
Hi Curious,
This is a Ladybird Beetle, and we thought it might be the dark form of the Ashy Gray Ladybird Beetle, Olla v-nigrum, but we no longer think that. There are other similarly marked Ladybirds. You can read more about the Ashy Gray Ladybird on BugGuide. Perhaps a reader can correctly identify this species.
The lady beetle is a remarkable variation of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. They just seem to have endless patterns….
Eric
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Posted 09 November 2008
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bi-colored Multicoloerd Asian Lady Beetle
Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Before you redesigned your site there was an image from somebody in Florida of a two-tone Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle. By two-toned i mean one side being red and the other was orange. I was not able to relocate that image since your redesign. Do you remember the image? I found one and uploaded it to BugGuide. I included a link to your image as proof that they do exist to help dispel the notion that my image may have been photoshopped.
Here is my image on BugGuide .
http://bugguide.net/node/view/160448 or copy and paste is html isn’t enabled
Ron M.
Kenner, Louisiana
Bicolored Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
Hi Ron,
We are quite certain that many submissions vanished during our site migration, and we appreciate you bringing this unusual submission to our attention. We had to go to our old Dreamweaver version to locate it, but it has been returned to our Ladybird Beetle category. Thanks for sending your photo as well.
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Posted 30 October 2008
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Found a cool looking insect
Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 4:50 AM
This insect has 6 legs which are yellow in color. It is long compared to how wide it is. It is probably about a cm long or so and a quarter of that wide. The head and neck of it is blue as well as the tail on it. But the very center of it is a very bright yellow with blue in the center and then yellow and blue spikes. Up close the bug looks very hairy but i am not so sure. I found him on a 4×4 post on my fence line, it caught me off guard because of its amazing bright colors. Sorry i cant get a picture right now but i did draw a somewhat childish painting and is attached to image 1. Thank You
Dan Dan the bugman
North America, Michigan
Drawing of a Ladybird Larva
Hi Dan Dan the bugman,
In our ongoing efforts to distinguish ourselves from the plethora of more scientific insect websites in existance by trying to have a more pop culture appeal, we love getting letters like yours with drawings. We believe you have found an immature Ladybird Beetle, or Lady Bug. We have also had them described as looking like alligators. We find your amusing drawing to be a refreshing change from the many anatomically correct insect drawings found in texts.
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Posted 13 October 2008
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“Black Ops” Ladybugs in SW Florida
Dear Bugman,
I just love your site– it always inspires me to garden with the camera within easy reach. Yesterday morning I saw this gorgeous black ladybug on my chenille plant. I thought it might be the Twice-Stabbed Ladybug, except that its red spots are up by the head and not on the back. We have nicknamed them “Black Ops” here at my house. The chenille is in full bloom and full of ladybug larva, so I hope to have a bumper crop of these little beauties. Best regards,
Nik
Fort Myers, Florida
Axion tripustulata
We quickly located your Black Ladybird Beetle on BugGuide. It appears to be Axion tripustulata, which sadly does not have a common name, nor is there any other information posted about the species.
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Posted 18 September 2008
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Lady Beetle? (Anna, TX)
Location: Anna TX
Hello, and greetings from North Texas,
I seem to have cucumber plants infested with what I am hoping are lady beetles. These are not the usual round little tanks I remember from growing up, but are a bit longer. The cucumber plant is extremely healthy, as are the nearby dill and basil. That is the main reason I’m thinking they are lady beetles. If nothing else, I seem to have a "pink" one. And a really good photo of the red one.
I guess I’m looking for confirmation that these are definitely lady beetles.
Angi
Hi Angi,
These are indeed Spotted Lady Beetles, Coleomegilla maculata.
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Posted 02 August 2008
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