twice-stabbed lady beetle

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Twice-stabbed lady beetle is a native, common, small, scale-feeding lady beetle. It occurs throughout the United States, southern Canada, and Mexico. It is common east of the Great Plains, uncommon in the west, absent from the West Coast. It is common in Minnesota.

Adults are active in Minnesota from May through October in forests, woodlands, pine plantations, and orchards. They are found on vegetation and on tree trunks. They feed primarily on scale insects and mealybugs, but also on aphids.

Twice-stabbed lady beetle is considered a beneficial insect in citrus groves, orchards, Christmas tree plantations, and natural forests. However, it currently cannot be sold for commercial use.

Adults are ⅛″ to 3⁄16″ (3.75 to 5.0 mm) in length and 1⁄16″to 3⁄16″ (3.0 to 4.25 mm) wide. The body is shiny and black. It is broadly oval when viewed from above, hemispherical when viewed from the side.

The head and the plate covering the thorax (pronotum) are entirely black. The underside of the thorax (around the legs) is always dark, usually black but sometimes brown.

The hardened wing covers (elytra) are black except for a single, round, red spot slightly before the middle of each elytron. The margins are narrowly flattened and turned outward. The underside of the abdomen is red or yellow.

Total length: ⅛″ to 3⁄16″ (3.75 to 5.0 mm)

Forests, woodlands, pine plantations, and orchards

Two generations per year in Minnesota: May through October

Adults overwinter in leaf litter on the ground. They become active the following April or May.

Scale insects, mealybugs, and aphids

Sources

27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

Common

Location: Albany, NY

Location: Albany, NY