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Project Noah Nature School
Coccinellinae subfamily
Found on a rose leaf.
The last photo shows its defensive move when touched.
Spotted on Jun 1, 2012
Submitted on Jun 2, 2012
2 Comments
Thanks for the info Abigail.
The closest I can get to an ID here is that it is in subfamily Coccinellinae, and it isn't Harmonia axyridis (the Harlequin/Japanese/Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle). As the season gets later and colder, some lady beetle species' pupae become darker and darker - it may help them avoid standing out among fading brown vegetation, or keep them warmer by absorbing more sunlight, or both. The defensive move can actually kill ants and parasitic wasps when the pupa snaps back down onto the leaf!