Stethorus pusillus
(Herbst, 1797)
Dot Ladybird
Stethorus pusillus is the smallest European ladybird beetle, belonging to the Coccinellidae and Scymninae. This has been documented as a for the ectoparasitic fungus Hesperomyces coccinelloides, with the first Polish records representing the northernmost and easternmost occurrence of this fungus. The species has been collected from roadside willow trees and floodplain forests in Poland, and is known from various European localities including Spain and Belgium, as well as from the Azores islands.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Stethorus pusillus: /ˈstɛθɔrʊs pjuˈsɪləs/
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Habitat
In Poland, found on roadside white willow (Salix alba) trees and in floodplain forest on the bank of the River Vistula with various trees and shrubs including Acer campestre, Euonymus europaea, Humulus lupulus, and Prunus padus.
Distribution
Native to Europe; recorded from Poland (near Warsaw at 52°22'N, 20°53'E and 52°22'N, 20°54'E), Spain, and Belgium. Also present on Azores islands (Faial, Flores, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge). The fungus Hesperomyces coccinelloides, parasitic on this , has broader distribution including North, Central and South America, Caribbean, Philippines, and Borneo.
Seasonality
In Poland, collected in July and September.
Host Associations
- Hesperomyces coccinelloides - ectoparasitic fungus (Laboulbeniales)Thalli found growing on the ; obligate of coccinellid Scymninae