Coccinellidae
Guides
Scymnini
Dusky Lady Beetles, dusky ladybugs
Scymnini is a tribe of minute lady beetles (Coccinellidae) commonly known as dusky ladybugs. Adults are typically 1–2 mm long with hemispherically domed, densely hairy bodies. The tribe has been synonymized with Coccidulini under modern classifications. Members are predatory as both adults and larvae, feeding on spider mites, scale insects, whiteflies, and aphids. Many species are economically important as biological control agents of agricultural pests.
Scymnus americanus
American scymnus lady beetle
Scymnus americanus is a small lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, commonly known as the American scymnus lady beetle. It is one of numerous species in the genus Scymnus, a group often referred to as dusky lady beetles due to their typically subdued coloration compared to the more familiar brightly colored lady beetles. The species is documented from North America, with records from Ontario and Québec in Canada.
Scymnus apicanus
apicanus lady beetle
Scymnus apicanus is a small lady beetle species described by Chapin in 1973. It belongs to the genus Scymnus, commonly known as dusky lady beetles due to their generally dark coloration. The species is known from North America and has two recognized subspecies: S. a. apicanus and S. a. pseudapicanus. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a predator of small soft-bodied insects, though specific ecological studies are limited.
Scymnus calaveras
Scymnus calaveras is a small lady beetle species in the family Coccinellidae, described by Thomas L. Casey in 1899. The species epithet refers to Calaveras County, California, suggesting a type locality in the Sierra Nevada foothills region. As a member of the genus Scymnus, it likely belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group of minute lady beetles often associated with scale insect prey. Published records indicate presence in western North America including British Columbia, Canada, and California, USA.
Scymnus caurinus
northwestern lady beetle
Scymnus caurinus, commonly known as the northwestern lady beetle, is a species of dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is a small predatory beetle native to western North America, with records from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. As a member of the genus Scymnus, it belongs to a group of lady beetles generally associated with aphid predation, though specific prey relationships for this species remain poorly documented. The species was described by Horn in 1895.
Scymnus compar
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus compar is a small lady beetle (Coccinellidae) described by Thomas L. Casey in 1899. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group commonly known as dusky lady beetles due to their typically subdued coloration compared to the brightly spotted species familiar to most observers. The species is documented from North America, with specific records from Ontario, Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a predator of small soft-bodied insects, though direct observations of its biology remain limited.
Scymnus coniferarum
conifer lady beetle
Scymnus coniferarum is a small predatory lady beetle native to western North America. It has been studied as a potential biological control agent for the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), an invasive pest of eastern hemlock in eastern North America. Field studies in Washington State indicate it feeds on multiple adelgid species across different conifer hosts, with higher abundance observed on pine adelgids than on hemlock woolly adelgid.
Scymnus consobrinus
consobrinous lady beetle
Scymnus consobrinus is a small lady beetle species in the family Coccinellidae, commonly known as the consobrinous lady beetle. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group often referred to as dusky lady beetles due to their typically subdued coloration compared to the bright patterns of larger coccinellids. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1852 and is known to occur in North America. Like other members of Scymnus, it is likely a predator of small soft-bodied insects, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Scymnus difficilis
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus difficilis is a minute lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, described by Casey in 1899. Adults measure approximately 1.8–2.1 mm in length. The species is known from southern California and is part of the diverse Scymnus genus, which contains many small, often dark-colored lady beetles commonly referred to as dusky lady beetles.
Scymnus falli
Fall's lady beetle, Fall's dusky lady beetle
Scymnus falli is a small lady beetle species described by Gordon in 1976. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, commonly known as dusky lady beetles, which are generally smaller and more slender than the familiar brightly colored ladybugs. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its biology remain limited in published literature.
Scymnus fraternus
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus fraternus is a small lady beetle in the subfamily Scymninae, commonly known as dusky lady beetles. The species was described by LeConte in 1852 and occurs in northeastern North America. Records indicate presence in Ontario, Québec, and Vermont. Like other Scymnus species, it likely preys on small hemipteran pests such as aphids and scale insects, though specific ecological studies for this species are limited.
Scymnus garlandicus
garland lady beetle
Scymnus garlandicus, commonly known as the garland lady beetle, is a small dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group of minute lady beetles often characterized by their diminutive size and inconspicuous coloration. The species was described by Casey in 1899 and is recorded from North America. Like other members of Scymnus, it is presumed to be a predator of small soft-bodied insects, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Scymnus horni
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus horni is a small lady beetle (family Coccinellidae) first described by Gorham in 1897. It is classified as a 'dusky lady beetle,' a common name applied to several Scymnus species with generally dark or inconspicuous coloration. The species has a notably broad geographic distribution spanning three distinct regions: Central America, North America, and Oceania. Like other members of Scymnus, it is presumed to be a predator of small soft-bodied insects such as aphids and scale insects, though specific prey records for this species are not documented.
Scymnus indianensis
Indiana lady beetle
Scymnus indianensis, commonly known as the Indiana lady beetle, is a small dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It belongs to the genus Scymnus, which comprises minute lady beetles often characterized by their dull coloration and pubescent bodies. The species was described by Weise in 1929 and is documented from North America, with specific records from Ontario, Canada. Like other members of Scymninae, it is presumed to be a predator of small soft-bodied insects, though direct observations of its biology remain limited.
Scymnus iowensis
Iowa lady beetle
Scymnus iowensis, commonly known as the Iowa lady beetle, is a small species of dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is native to North America and has been recorded from multiple Canadian provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick. The species was described by Thomas Casey in 1899.
Scymnus kansanus
Kansas Lady Beetle
Scymnus kansanus, commonly known as the Kansas lady beetle, is a small dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It was described by Thomas Casey in 1899. The species is recorded from North America, with specific distribution records from Canada (Ontario and Québec) and the United States. It belongs to the genus Scymnus, a diverse group of small lady beetles often characterized by their subdued coloration and association with scale insects and other small prey.
Scymnus louisianae
Scymnus louisianae is a small lady beetle (Coccinellidae) described by J. Chapin in 1973. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group of minute lady beetles often associated with scale insect and mealybug prey. The species is documented in North America with a notable concentration of observations. Like other Scymnus species, it likely serves as a biological control agent for agricultural and forest pests.
Scymnus marginicollis
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus marginicollis is a species of dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, first described by Mannerheim in 1843. It is recognized as a member of the subfamily Scymninae, a group of small lady beetles often referred to as 'dusky' or 'scymnine' lady beetles due to their typically dull coloration compared to the brightly colored Coccinellinae. The species is known to occur across North America with two recognized subspecies: S. marginicollis marginicollis and S. marginicollis borealis.
Scymnus nebulosus
Nebulous Lady Beetle, dusky lady beetle
Scymnus nebulosus, commonly known as the nebulous lady beetle, is a small dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is found in North America and Oceania. The species is part of the Scymnus genus, which includes numerous small predatory beetles often referred to as dusky lady beetles due to their typically dark or dull coloration compared to the more brightly colored lady beetles in other genera.
Scymnus nevadensis
Nevada lady beetle
Scymnus nevadensis is a small dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, commonly known as the Nevada lady beetle. The species was described by Weise in 1929. It is known from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented.
Scymnus pacificus
Scymnus pacificus is a small lady beetle (Coccinellidae) described by Crotch in 1874. Adults measure approximately 2.0–2.8 mm in length. The species occurs in western North America, with records from California extending eastward to western Texas, Colorado, and Utah. As a member of the genus Scymnus, it belongs to a group of minute lady beetles often associated with scale insect and mealybug predation, though specific ecological data for this species remain limited.
Scymnus securus
Coastal Marsh Scymnus
Scymnus securus is a small lady beetle (Coccinellidae) described by Chapin in 1973. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group of minute lady beetles often associated with wetland habitats. The species is known from coastal marsh environments in eastern North America, with confirmed records from Ontario, Canada. It is among the less frequently documented Scymnus species, with limited observational data available.
Scymnus semiruber
Scymnus semiruber is a species of dusky lady beetle (family Coccinellidae) described by Horn in 1895. It belongs to the genus Scymnus, a group of small lady beetles often characterized by their inconspicuous coloration and association with scale insects. The species is known from North America, though published biological details remain sparse.
Scymnus socer
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus socer is a small lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1852. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, commonly known as dusky lady beetles, which are generally smaller and more cryptically colored than the familiar spotted lady beetles. The species is known from North America, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Scymnus suturalis
Pine Dusky Lady Beetle
Scymnus suturalis is a tiny ladybird beetle (2.0–2.5 mm) native to the Palearctic, now introduced to North America. It inhabits coniferous and mixed forests, where it feeds primarily on scale insects (Coccoidea), particularly Chionaspis salicis, and adelgids on pine. The species has been found under bark flakes, in moss on tree trunks, and in conifer litter. Its small size and hairy elytra distinguish it from larger, more familiar ladybird species.
Scymnus tenebrosus
Darkling Lady Beetle, Dusky Lady Beetle
Scymnus tenebrosus is a small lady beetle species in the family Coccinellidae, commonly known as the Darkling Lady Beetle or Dusky Lady Beetle. The species was described by Mulsant in 1850. It belongs to the genus Scymnus, which comprises numerous small lady beetle species often characterized by their modest size and subdued coloration compared to the more familiar brightly colored lady beetles.
Stethorus
Mite-eating Ladybirds, Spider Mite Destroyers
Stethorus is a genus of minute ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) commonly known as spider mite destroyers. The genus contains more than 40 described species, though some sources cite at least 20. These beetles are highly specialized predators of spider mites (Tetranychidae) and are recognized as important natural enemies of agricultural pests such as the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and the European red mite (Panonychus ulmi). Their small size and cryptic coloration make them easily overlooked in field settings.
Stethorus pusillus
Dot Ladybird
Stethorus pusillus is the smallest European ladybird beetle, belonging to the family Coccinellidae and subfamily Scymninae. This species has been documented as a host 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.
Stethorus utilis
Stethorus utilis is a minute lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, measuring only 1–2 mm in length. It is characterized by a black body with yellow antennae, mouthparts, and legs. The species is known from the southeastern United States, with records from North Carolina to Florida and west to eastern Texas. Like other members of the genus Stethorus, it is likely a predator of small arthropods, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Sticholotidinae
Sticholotidinae is a subfamily of lady beetles (family Coccinellidae). Phylogenetic analyses have found that Sticholotidinae is not a monophyletic group, rendering the subfamily invalid as currently circumscribed. The group has been the subject of recent taxonomic revisions, particularly for genera such as Stictobura and Sticholotis. Members of this subfamily are generally small, often flattened beetles with varied habits.
Zagloba
Zagloba is a genus of lady beetles (Coccinellidae) established by Casey in 1899. The genus contains relatively few described species and is among the less commonly encountered coccinellid genera in North America. Members of this genus are small, dark-colored beetles with reduced or absent spotting patterns compared to more familiar lady beetles.
Zagloba hystrix
Zagloba hystrix is a minute lady beetle species in the family Coccinellidae, first described by Casey in 1899. Adults measure approximately 1.45–1.75 mm in length. The species is known from North America, with confirmed records from Texas. It is among the smallest coccinellid beetles documented in the region.
Zilus
Velvethead Lady Beetles
Zilus is a genus of small lady beetles in the family Coccinellidae, commonly known as Velvethead Lady Beetles. The genus was established by Mulsant in 1850 and contains approximately 20 described species, with many occurring in the United States. Members of this genus belong to the tribe Coccidulini within the subfamily Coccinellinae. The common name refers to a characteristic velvety or pubescent appearance of the head region.
Zilus aterrimus
Western Velvethead Lady Beetle
Zilus aterrimus is a minute lady beetle species in the family Coccinellidae. It is known from western North America, with records from Idaho and Washington south to California and Arizona. Adults measure approximately 1.25–1.60 mm in length.
Zilus horni
Eastern Velvethead Ladybug
Zilus horni is a minute lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, measuring approximately 1.40–1.60 mm in length. The species is native to eastern North America, with records from Maryland to Florida and west to Wisconsin and Louisiana. It was described by Gordon in 1985 and named in honor of American entomologist George H. Horn. The specific epithet commemorates Horn's contributions to coleopterology.