Mulsantina

Classification

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

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Mulsantina: //mʊl.sænˈtaɪ.nə//

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

Images

Mulsantina cyathigera 65705024 by Andrew Meeds. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Mulsantina hudsonica 381288262 by Meghan Cassidy. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Mulsantina luteodorsa 125399184 by kcthetc1. Used under a CC0 license.

Mulsantina picta by Mike Boone. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.

Summary

Mulsantina is a genus of ladybugs within the family Coccinellidae, characterized by their distinctive white markings and arboreal habitat, found throughout much of North America and parts of the Caribbean.

Physical Characteristics

White markings on the underside are very distinctive for this genus.

Identification Tips

Look for the distinctive white markings on the ventral side of the body.

Habitat

Usually arboreal, found in trees.

Distribution

Widespread across most of North America except Alaska, northern Canada, and peninsular Florida, with specific species distribution in the US Southwest, Central and eastern Canada, and southern Canada and the continental US.

Diet

Primarily aphidivorous; they feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects.

Ecosystem Role

Mulsantina species play a role in controlling aphid populations as biological pest control agents.

Collecting Methods

Light trapping
Hand collection

Preservation Methods

Ethanol preservation
Pinned collection

Evolution

First described in 1850, originally named Cleis; renamed Mulsantina in 1906 to honor Étienne Mulsant.