Spotless Lady Beetle (Cycloneda sanguinea)

Error message

Unable to fetch location details at this time.

Photo by Small Wonders

Published on Project Noah

Zoom

20.3202, -87.3722

Field Notes

Description:

Cycloneda sanguinea is the most common ladybird beetle found in Latin America. It is a large bright red ladybird beetle with unspotted elytra. Cycloneda sanguinea is an extremely voracious predator that consumes aphids, thrips, mites & scale insects on trees, shrubs, & agricultural crops. This particular species has been considered for biological control of many different crop damaging aphid species.

Habitat:

Southern U.S., Mexico - South America. Found on trees & plants where there is a food source. Spotted on Sea Lavender (Argusia gnaphalodes) growing on a coastal dune.

Notes:

This spotting is of a male Cycloneda sanguinea. Males have the white border on the pronotum complete, the females have the border narrow or absent in the middle.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)

HemaShah

The zero spotted one which i found today was identified as a three banded lady bug. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10017886

Small Wonders

Emma, I think the difference is in the pronotum.... view i.d. at http://bugguide.net/node/view/8878

Small Wonders

Thank you Karrijini :)

HemaShah

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10017886 Small wonders , i found a zero spotted lady bug today,but the markings are different. Could yours be " zero spotted Convergent Lady" bug?

Karrijini

compact! Wow... amazing job!

Small Wonders

It's a compact - Canon Powershot SX100 - It has a very good macro setting for a compact :)

Karrijini

what lens did u use?

Small Wonders

Yes Karrijini, thank you so much!

Karrijini

did you take the picture?? It's amazing!

Small Wonders

Thanks friends :)