I grew up calling these “ladybugs”, too, but, technically, Harmonia axyridis, and other lady beetles, are not true bugs. H. axyridis, also known as the harlequin lady beetle, Halloween lady beetle, Asian lady beetle, or multicolored Asian ladybeetle, is native to eastern Asia, but was introduced to Europe and North America in order to control…
Tag: Coccinellidae
Globe-Marked Lady Beetle
This little gray lady beetle with black spots is the globe-marked lady beetle, Azya orbigera. It’s found in North and South America, and in Oceania, and…that’s about all we know, which is kind of a shame. The larvae are fluffy little white things that look like mealyworms.
Twice-Stabbed Lady Beetle
Although the common names for this kind of tiny round beetle include “ladybird” and “ladybug”, the correct term is “lady beetle”. This is neither a bird nor a bug (“bugs” technically refers to an order of insects, of which the lady beetle is not a member). The common name (“twice-stabbed lady beetle”) actually refers to…
Metallic Blue Lady Beetle
Entomologists can’t always be good at naming. At least the metallic blue lady beetle, Curinus coeruleus, is easy to remember, as well as identify. C. coeruleus is a native of South America which has traveled all over the world, where it has largely been introduced by humans as a means of controlling insect pests such…