Beautiful, orange and white ladybird pupa

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

Help with identification appreciated as always.



Bruce

[loripo]

I did have one similar which was possibly a seven spot, the spiky parts show that I think, have a look at Paul Mabbot's comment
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...tml#post509277
if that works
PS I'm not following you around - just happened to be looking at new posts and was interested:-)

[Bruce Williams]

Lori - Thanks for the link to that very interesting thread.

Bruce

[JRsbugs]

Hi Bruce, that's a late pupa! It's the Harlequin which has the spiky bits where it attaches, the 7-spot just has a grey mass. I can't say for sure yours is a Harlequin but I don't know what else it would be.

Janet

[Bruce Williams]

Janet - I wondered if it might be. I see a lot of Harlequin larvae, pupae and adults on this fence but I've never seen a pupa with anything like this couring. Most are like this (on the same fence just a few yards from the orange and white pupa):



.....or like this:



I'm gonna pop back this afternoon to check it - may even try and collect it to see what form the adult takes.

Bruce

[charlieb]

I think the first one you posted has just shed its larval skin and has yet to gain the darker colours of your others.

As far as I know the only other spiky ladybird is Harmonia quadripunctata - the Cream-streaked Ladybird (rather than an L shape on the larva, it has a I shape). Heres a pupa: http://www.koleopterologie.de/galler...-kruithof.html

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Bruce Williams

Janet - I wondered if it might be. I see a lot of Harlequin larvae, pupae and adults on this fence but I've never seen a pupa with anything like this couring. Most are like this (on the same fence just a few yards from the orange and white pupa):



.....or like this:



I'm gonna pop back this afternoon to check it - may even try and collect it to see what form the adult takes.

Bruce

I would collect it, as in this case you can release it after it matures.

It might be one of the forms of Harlequin which show little or no spotting. I had a Harlequin which for all the world looked like a 10-spot, but the shape of the elytra was wrong and it had those little bumps at the back which you see on Harlequins. I checked those details when I saw it, but I have pics too.