Adalia decempunctata
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Coccinelloidea
- Family: Coccinellidae
- Subfamily: Coccinellinae
- Genus: Adalia
- Species: decempunctata
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Adalia decempunctata: //əˈdeɪ.li.ə ˌdɛ.kɛm.pʌŋkˈteɪ.tə//
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Summary
Adalia decempunctata, or the ten-spotted ladybird, is a common carnivorous beetle of the family Coccinellidae. It exhibits a high degree of color and spot pattern variability, contributing to its identification difficulty.
Physical Characteristics
Body length of about 3.5–5 mm. Highly variable with individuals displaying red, orange, or brown ground color and between 0 and 12 distinct dark elytral spots. Body is glabrous and almost round in shape. Legs and antennae are usually brown or orange.
Identification Tips
Look for the characteristic color variations and spot patterns. Light form typically has five to seven black spots, dark form is mainly black or brown, and mixed form features five orange to red spots. Some individuals may have no spots.
Habitat
Western European broadleaf forests, eastern deciduous forests, Sarmatic mixed forests, forest edges, parks, gardens, wastelands, and in Eurasian Steppe, Pannonian Steppe biotopes.
Distribution
Common in Europe, North Africa, European Russia, the Caucasus, Siberia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Transcaucasia, and western Asia. Potential new record for North America.
Diet
Carnivorous, primarily feeding on aphids found on trees and bushes.
Life Cycle
Adults overwinter in litter and among fallen leaves.
Ecosystem Role
Predators of aphids and other pest insects, helping to control pest populations in various habitats.
Cultural Significance
Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae.
Tags
- beetle
- ladybird
- carnivorous
- Coccinellidae
- Palaearctic