The imposter ladybug
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MedMan Last edited by:
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Contributed by: Trickster
The Imposter.. There is a
similar, common species of beetle that is a pest, called
the Mexican bean beetle. It is very easy to distinguish.
Adults have eight black spots on each wing cover. The
larvae are also very distinctive, and shouldn't be
mistaken for predaceous larvae, because they have large
forked spines across their backside. To erradicate this
pest use a permethrin based spray on both the foliage
and soil.
The Real thing..
Ladybugs, or lady beetles, are a very beneficial
group of insects; a single lady beetle may consume as
many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. Lady beetle adults
have a very characteristic convex, hemispherical to oval
body shape. The head is covered by a hood called the
pronotum. Many species of lady beetles are present in
Kentucky. They may be white, yellow, pink, orange, red
or black, and usually have spots. Like many of the
brightly-colored insects, ladybugs are distasteful to
predators. When disturbed, they may secrete an odorous
fluid out of their joints to warn enemies of their
distastefulness.
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| Last modified: 20:45 - Jan 14,
2002 |
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