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Coccinellidae - several species
lady bug invasion in my appartment-floor, they searched for a place to hibernate, but they were collecting at the front-door, where they would have removed from some neighbours, i took them in, gave them a temporary resting-place and will let them out at a propper staying place. They were with 3-5 sorts (maybe 2 different genas and 3-5 different specien, i must clean the main-floor 2 times, all in all estimate 30 -40 bugs. could not find any aphids any more outside but some klaver-plants. ( http://www.youtube.com/user/rexalex84#p/... ) again "problems saving" this video-links
Coccinellids are generally considered beneficial to gardeners, as they typically eat aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, and mites throughout the winter. As in many insects, ladybugs in temperate regions enter diapause during the winter, so they often are among the first insects to appear in the spring. Some species (e.g., Hippodamia convergens) gather into groups and move to higher land, such as a mountain, to enter diapause. Predatory ladybugs are usually found on plants where aphids or scale insects are, and they lay their eggs near their prey, to increase the likelihood the larvae will find the prey easily. Ladybugs are cosmopolitan in distribution, as are their prey. Coccinellids also require a source of pollen for food and are attracted to specific types of plants. The most popular ones are any type of mustard plant, as well as other early blooming nectar and pollen sources, like buckwheat, coriander, red or crimson clover, and legumes like vetches, and also early aphid sources, such as bronze fennel, dill, coriander, caraway, angelica, tansy, yarrow, of the wild carrot family, Apiaceae. Other plants that also attract ladybugs include coreopsis, cosmos (especially the white ones), dandelions and scented geraniums. Coccinellids are sensitive to most synthetic insecticides. If food sources are limited, oviposition is reduced. A larva uses its sharp jaws to crush an aphid's body and sucks out the aphid's juices.
Coccinellidae is a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds (UK, Ireland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Malta, some parts of Canada and the US), or ladybugs (North America). Scientists increasingly prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as these insects are not true bugs. Lesser-used names include God's cow, ladyclock, lady cow, and lady fly
Spotted on Oct 27, 2011
Submitted on Oct 30, 2011
11 Comments
Amazing spotting :)
Incredible!!!
ok thx again agustinAmenabar, you have reduced my doubts, Will lean towards your suggestions. I had looked but not translated your link, that's why i missed that informations. :)
Alex: The article specifically states this species is very variable, and in the article describes de forms most common in Chile. In the description also says the only place it can't have white is in the underside. Many show white on their head and pronotum.
It could be other species, but most likely is Adalia bipunctata because it is very common world wide. Also as the Harmonia Axyridis, likes hibernating in congregated in human buildings. No idea of other species that comes so close to the description, then again, I'm only a designer who likes bugs.
thanks . at the mainentrance are still some of the late ones, collected at a corner of the ceiling. I already see outside more ladybugs again, think i will mine also kick out the door, next weeks :).
@ AgustinAmenabar- do you have another suggestion for the black one, because after looking at your link, i'm no longer think it was the "Adalia bipunctata"- because mine has white spots at the headsection and the red spot are round and don't come over the edge. At your link looks the head different and at the only complet black winged (elytra !) specimen (the other where almost half different basic-colored) has the spot going over the edge which looks not really round . !!
When we moved back into our home just over 2 years ago it had been empty for several months & we came back to an infestation of hundreds, maybe even thousands of asian ladybugs! They were everywhere! I spent hours collecting & evicting them, & picking up dozens of little corpses every day for weeks. :(
Fantastic spotting! I kind of wished that happend in my home. Most of them sure are Asian Ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis) as they are easily distinguished by the black W on the pronotum, 9 spots on each elytra and their brooding behaviour.
Also the Adalia bipunctata seems correct, look here all the variations they can have on the elytra: http://www.coccinellidae.cl/paginasWebCh... (sorry it's in spanish)
monkey-mind&nana-puppet, there are suspected 2-4 species.found two different main-colors/ black ( maybe = Adalia bipuncta )- red; then slightly different head-sections, i counted the most with 15-22 points ( maybe =Harmonia axyridis ) -; then 7 points ( maybe = Coccinella septempunctata ) . and yesterday found i, another group downstairs at the main-door (surely 10-20 again ), had not noticed them before,the onces from this spotting, had i give a new chance at a place, where i still found some/enough aphids! [btw m&n- very big thxs for the docu-links, were really intressting and found through your links other nice fungi-video-docus. Was exactly what i needed.!!!]
What an amazing discovery!
looks like asian ladybirds
had to re-upload this spotting again because of "problems saving" the youtube video link and also some pictures.