rss deformed ladybug?
Is this a ladybug? If so, what’s wrong? I thought it might still be in morphing process.
Lee Hooker
Dallas, GA
Hi again Lee,
We are not sure if this is part of normal metamorphosis or not. Perhaps the Ladybird has just emerged from the pupa and the wing elytra have not fully expanded and hardened. It is also possible that this is a birth defect brought on by trauma or genetics due to global warming or rampant pesticide use. We favor the metamorphosis hypothesis.
Two-Toned Multicolored Asian Ladybird
(05/08/2007) identify
Hi there, we just returned form a family vacation to Orlando, FL. While at Disney World, this little lady (or fellow) landed on my daughter. The odd thing is I have not seen a ladybird beetle with this very odd coloration.while I am adept at photoshop, I assure you this is how this critter looked!!!! 1/3 orange, 1/3 golden and 1/3 cream. There were no photos on your site that I could find showing this coloration, so thought I’d see what you had to say. Perhaps it’s completely common, but I’ve not seen one like it before. Thanks!
Tara
Photographer/Mixed Media Artist
Bicolored Multicolored Asian Ladybird Beetle
Hi Tara,
Thank you for confessing to your knowledge of Photoshop. This bicoloration is unusual. This is a Multicolored Asian Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis. It is the species responsible for huge aggregations entering peoples’ homes in the eastern U.S. We have located a wonderful table of color variations on a British website that also calls it the Harlequin Ladybird or Halloween Ladybird. BugGuide also has many photos of this species, but none like yours. BugGuide indicates that “The only consistent marking is a strip of color along the edge of the pronotum (between the head and the wings) but the color of that strip can vary from white to red. In the east, the pronotum is usually white with four black spots, which range from small spots to large patches that may blend together to look like a black M (or W). ”
Update: November 23, 2010
We just received this comment that nicely explains the bicolor variation: “The right elytron (forewing) probably died early, keeping its “young” orange color, while the left continued to store red pigment (caroten).”
Bug Identification Please
Hi,
The following photo was taken a few days ago, in Northern Virginia, on a grapevine. The insect on the right appears to be a ladybug larvae. The unknown insect on the left was feeding on the larvae.
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
The unknown insect below (we rotated your image to conform to the aesthetics of our site) is an immature Two Spotted Stink Bug, Perillus bioculatus. BugGuide has a photo that shows more black on the nymph, but this species has some degree of variability. The Two Spotted Stink Bug is an important predator of the Colorado Potato Beetle, but sadly, in your example, it has eaten another predator, a Ladybird Beetle Larva. We have gotten numerous recent identification requests for the Ladybird Larvae, but the photos have been blurry. It is nice to be able to post your crisp and dramatic image.
new bee?
Hi Bugman,
I don’t like bugs, I think they are scary. So forgive me for not browsing through previously identified bugs. Last week I’ve found this bug as he came crawling out of my keyboard. I’ve asked everyone I know, but nobody knows what this could be. It didn’t scare me that much, I think this dude’s quite cool. He looks like an ant wearing a bee costume. I hope you can help me so I can rest knowing the name of this guy. Thank you for your reply!
Joy
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hi Joy,
People are often very surprised to hear that those “Alligator Bugs” are actually immature Ladybird Beetles, or Ladybugs.
Please id?
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
This is a Ladybird Beetle Larva. Most people don’t associate the fierce but small larva with the popular orange and black spotted adult Ladybug.
Ladybug Pic for your Collection
I haven’t been able to ID it. 12 red spots on black background. Feel free to post it.
Roya
Santa Ana, CA
Hi Roya,
We cannot locate a match on BugGuide. We will see if Eric Eaton has a clue about this Ladybird Beetle.
Very exciting! Heres a head shot to help identify it and in case i’m mistaken about it being a ladybird.
Roya
Eric Eaton wrote back to us with this information: ” Hi, Daniel: My first thought is that this could simply be one of the color variants of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. I believe there is a chart somewhere out in the world wide web that shows some of the many variations for that species. I’ve contacted my publisher to suggest that they buy advertising for my book on WTB, if that agrees with you? You should hear from someone at Houghton Mifflin in the next week or two.
Eric “
I think this is a Hyperaspis species, and presumably it is something exotic… I couldn’t find the species. The closest I could get (not very close at all, because it’s 10-spot rather than 12-spot, and yellow spots rather than red ones) was illustration 2 on this page, which shows a Hyperaspis species with a tentative ID of jocosa.
Susan
Update: (03/10/2007)
Thanks Eric for the correct ID! Wow, I had no idea what a staggeringly variable species Harmonia axyridis is in terms of color morphs: it has an unbelievable degree of variation! Yes, that chart you are talking about does show this red-spotted 12-spot form at: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/appsci//lifesci/lifestaff/harlequin_01.htm And there is a picture of a somewhat similar Harmonia axyridis individual which has 12 orange spots at: http://zooex.baikal.ru/beetles/coccinellidae.htm
Susan
three-banded lady beetle
Hi. We live in the Ottawa, ON. area and have noticed that the majority of the lady beetles we see are of the Asian variety, so it was really nice to come across this three-banded lady beetle. Love your site…take care!
Sharon
Hammond, ON
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for sending in your photo of a Three Banded Lady Beetle, Coccinella trifasciata.
Some sort of ladybug?
Hi Bugman,
I’ve taken a look through your ladybug page, and was not able to find a match to the photo I’ve sent you. I imagine that this is some sort of ladybug. I’ve never seen a ladybug like this one before…the white on it is throwing me off. Sorry the photo isn’t very good. Thanks for any help you can give. I’ll keep looking through the beetle pages, and maybe I’ll find a match there.
Yvonne
Barrie, Ontario
Hi Yvonne,
It is nice to hear from you again. This is an Eye Spotted Ladybird Beetle, Anatis mali.
I like This