Harlequin Ladybirds

[ladybirdluva]

fair enough! I'd really like to know the answer to whether ladybirds have an immune system so when you've got time ... lol sorry!!

And thanks! that's really interesting about the aphids! I never would have guessed that you could get toxic aphids - how weird I also didn't know about the different species - i thought there was just a green aphid, a black aphid and a "white" one, and apart from the giant oak aphid that was the only ones I knew about! I hope Im not being to annoying by the way xx

[ladybirdluva]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

There's a thread somewhere so I'll summarise. Insects can be divided into two groups Hemimetabola (Exopterygota) which grow through similar changes as you describe (the simpler insects, bugs, odonates &c) and the Holometabola (Endopterygota) which undergo complete metamorphism: these are the higher insects such as beetles, flies, bees, leps which undergo this complete reorganisation of their structure within the pupa.

The main advantage of complete metamorphosis is that the larva and the imago (adult) can live in completely different habitats.

yeah - flies spring to mind as a good example!

[Paul mabbott]

I've been asked where to look for ladybirds, especially the 'harlequin' at this time of year. More or less anywhere if you're looking for haxy in southern England but the most certain place is on urban hybrid lime trees:


That will probably only be for few more days as the leaves are falling rapidly and hungry ladybirds will be flying elsewhere - as some people are noticing. If the ladybirds don't come into your house then the next place to look will be on sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus trees which still have a good load of aphids and will be in leaf for another week or two.

Still few (seriously) northern records so people up in Northumbria and Scotland - look at your street trees!

[ladybirdluva]

I found a VERY small pine ladybird about 2 1/2mm long (black, four spots, oval shaped??) today in town, there were no plants around (plenty of haxy though ) and it was on a metal railing. I picked it up and took it to an oak tree in the park which still seemed to have most of its leaves - unfortunately the leaves only started quite a way up - was this the right thing to do? I hope so because I wanted to do the right thing and help it. It didn't seem to want to get off my finger though. I thought that if I had left it there it would probably starve or be eaten by something as it was very exposed.

Also saw a relatively large two-spot and an aphid on a lamp post type thing, the two-spot was heading rapidly towards the aphid!

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Presumably most of these defects result from difficulty of emerging from the pupa ... something sticks to the pupal 'shell', something attacks the pupa or something squashes the pupa ..... needs someone to sit around for a few weeks making movies at this time of year!

One of the Bryony ladybirds that I watched emerge in the summer had the exuvium firmly attached to the tail ends of the elytra. I had it indoors and after watching it struggle to free itself for a day I cut the larger part of the exuvium off. This enabled it to move around but it wasnt able to fly as the elytra were joined together by the remain exuvium.

If it had emerged in the garden it may well have damaged the elytra trying to get free.

Ashe

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Still few (seriously) northern records so people up in Northumbria and Scotland - look at your street trees!

Im still searching. Although im not that far north, there in York which is only 40 miles away from me.

[Paul mabbott]

And the other thing is that they're less abundant on the other side of the hills - plenty now in Sheffield but yesterday, due west in Manchester, I saw none ...

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Im still searching. Although im not that far north, there in York which is only 40 miles away from me.

[scipio]

Could someone tell me if this is also a Harlequin. Seen in my garden on 1st Nov 2007 (on my wife's sweater originally). I live just south of Winchester. Thanks.

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by scipio

Could someone tell me if this is also a Harlequin. Seen in my garden on 1st Nov 2007 (on my wife's sweater originally). I live just south of Winchester. Thanks.

Yes it is.
The conspicua form.
Doug

[paulchandler6]

Found quite a few Harlequins today in a local meadow, but none of our native species.

Paul