Twice-stabbed Lady Beetles

Chilocorus

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Coccinelloidea
Family: Coccinellidae
Subfamily: Chilocorinae
Genus: Chilocorus

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Chilocorus: //kaɪˈloʊkɔːrəs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Chilocorus kuwanae eating Unaspis euonymi by Tim McCabe, USDA-ARS. Used under a Public domain license.

Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle - Chilocorus stigma, Meadowood Farm SRMA, Mason Neck, Virginia (38683856212) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Chilocorus cacti - larvae, pupae and adult (2544224687) by Sam Fraser-Smith from Brisbane, Australia. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Chilocorus kuwanae by えなががが. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Twicestabbed1 by Parihav at English Wikipedia. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Chilocorus bipustulatus larva by Gilles San Martin. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

Summary

Chilocorus stigma is a native lady beetle known for its distinctive coloration and beneficial role in controlling pest populations, particularly scales and aphids, in various North American habitats.

Physical Characteristics

Shiny black body with one red spot on each elytron; abdomen either yellow or red; larger elytral spots in southern populations.

Identification Tips

Distinguishable from other species by the presence of red spots on the elytra and the predominantly black venter; often confused with Chilocorus orbus.

Habitat

Terrestrial/arboreal habitats in North America, primarily in areas where scale insects are found.

Distribution

Widespread in eastern and central North America, with a native presence in the United States and Canada, and introduced populations in Hawaii.

Diet

Feeds mainly on aphids, scale insects (e.g., pine needle scale, beech bark scale), and mealybugs.

Life Cycle

Usually completes two lifecycles per year in northern regions, with several lifecycles in southern areas; overwinter in ground litter during colder months.

Ecosystem Role

Beneficial insect that controls pest populations, particularly scales and aphids.

Economic Impact

Beneficial in agricultural settings such as orchards and citrus groves for pest management.

Health Concerns

Susceptible to insecticides, which can diminish its populations in the wild.

Evolution

Chromosome variation includes aneuploidy and chromosomal polymorphism due to chromosome fusions or disassociations.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

Sometimes confused with other similarly patterned lady beetles due to morphological similarities.