Hosts or Prey
Aphids, mealybugs, other soft-bodied insects, and especially scales
Identification
Adults (also called ladybugs or ladybird beetles) are shiny black with two red spots on the wing covers. Adults are about 1/5 inch (5 mm) long, dome shaped (convex) on top, flat on the bottom, and rounded when viewed from above.
Eggs are oblong, yellowish, and about 1/25 inch (1 mm) long. They are laid singly on plants near infestations of prey insects.
Larvae are active, elongate, and resemble tiny alligators. They are mostly blackish and gray with numerous, fleshy spines.
Pupa are oblong and blackish. They occur in the skin of the last instar, which is grayish, spiny, and splits down the center, exposing the pupa.
Lookalikes
There are several species of black lady beetles with two red spots on the wing covers. Lookalikes in California include Axion plagiatum, Chilocorus cacti, Chilocorus kuwanae, and the black and red form of Olla v-nigrum. Expert dissection and examination of male genitalia is required to authoritatively distinguish the species.
Life Cycle
Twicestabbed lady beetle develops through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. It has several generations per year.
Habitat
Twicestabbed lady beetle is one of the most common scale-feeding lady beetles on trees and shrubs in California. Both adults and larvae prey mostly on scales.
Species
At least eight Chilocorus species occur in the United States. These include at least three Chilocorus species that closely resemble C. orbus.
More Information
- Genus Chilocorus - Twice-stabbed Lady Beetles, BugGuide, University of Iowa
- The Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of America North of Mexico, Journal of the New York Entomological Society
- Natural Enemies Handbook, UC Integrated Pest Management Program
- Protecting Natural Enemies and Pollinators, UC Integrated Pest Management Program
Scientific classification:
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Family: Coccinellidae
