Powdery-mildew-predator
Guides
Psyllobora parvinotata
Small-spotted Fairy Lady Beetle, small-spotted psyllobora
Psyllobora parvinotata is a minute lady beetle in the tribe Psylloborini, distinguished by its reduced spot pattern compared to congeners. Adults measure 2.75–3.40 mm and exhibit pale, often faint markings on the elytra. The species occurs in the southeastern United States, with records from Florida to Louisiana. It belongs to a genus whose members are specialized feeders on powdery mildews and other plant-pathogenic fungi.
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
22-spot ladybird, 22-spot lady beetle
A small European lady beetle, 3–5 mm in length, distinguished by its bright yellow elytra with 22 black spots. It is the only British and Irish ladybird species where pupa, larva, and adult share similar coloration and pattern. Unlike most coccinellids that prey on aphids, this species is a mycophage specializing on powdery mildew fungi. The species was first described in 1758 by Linnaeus and has been recorded overwintering in aggregations of up to 500 individuals.