Spotless Lady Beetle

Description:

Cycloneda sanguinea is the most common ladybird beetle found in Latin America. It is a large bright red ladybird beetle with unspotted elytra. Cycloneda sanguinea is an extremely voracious predator that consumes aphids, thrips, mites & scale insects on trees, shrubs, & agricultural crops. This particular species has been considered for biological control of many different crop damaging aphid species.

Habitat:

Southern U.S., Mexico - South America. Found on trees & plants where there is a food source. Spotted on Sea Lavender (Argusia gnaphalodes) growing on a coastal dune.

Notes:

This spotting is of a male Cycloneda sanguinea. Males have the white border on the pronotum complete, the females have the border narrow or absent in the middle.