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The Bryony Ladybird Henosepilachna argus
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,378 Major grins
This species has the same colour scheme as the 24-spot but is twice the size and with 11 spots (really 12 but two touch medially). These are two of the species in the subfamily Epilachninae, all of which are a bit hairy and are herbivorous. The Bryony Ladybird arrived in the UK about a decade ago, as di the carnivorous Harlequin.
I first came across this species when I found an unfamiliar-looking pupa on my Bryony weed in the garden. It feeds only on Briony. I placed the pupa in a plastic box and it has now hatched, been photographed and released. As is the case with adult ladybirds, the colours are not fully developed when they emerge from the pupa but the colour of this individual was fairly typical for the species.
Images will be posted, in due course, of the larvae and pupae but today we have the adult, which I have yet to see in the open air. No Bryony foliage features in the photos. The pupa had formed on a Crocosmia aka Monbretia. Some handy Bindweed leaves were used for additional background.
Apart from the last one, the images were shot through my Kiron 105mm , thelast through my reversed Schneider HM 40 setup.
When I found the ladybird in its box, it was immobile. I thought it was dead. However, once outside of the box, it scarcely stopped walking.
Harold
I first came across this species when I found an unfamiliar-looking pupa on my Bryony weed in the garden. It feeds only on Briony. I placed the pupa in a plastic box and it has now hatched, been photographed and released. As is the case with adult ladybirds, the colours are not fully developed when they emerge from the pupa but the colour of this individual was fairly typical for the species.
Images will be posted, in due course, of the larvae and pupae but today we have the adult, which I have yet to see in the open air. No Bryony foliage features in the photos. The pupa had formed on a Crocosmia aka Monbretia. Some handy Bindweed leaves were used for additional background.
Apart from the last one, the images were shot through my Kiron 105mm , thelast through my reversed Schneider HM 40 setup.
When I found the ladybird in its box, it was immobile. I thought it was dead. However, once outside of the box, it scarcely stopped walking.
Harold
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Brian v.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
Thanks Brian,
Pupal skin images now posted.
Harold
Harold
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Phils Photographic Adventures Blog
Thanks, Phil;.
Nor had I. I though I had a variant of the Harlequin when I first saw the pupating larva. I'm hoping to find eggs, to complete my coverage of the life cycle.
I also saw one Seven-spot and one Two-spot on nearby plants yesterday.
Harold