CLOSED: Friend or foe?

Havre De Grace, MD

These are on my perennial sunflowers( heliopsis?) lemon queen. Do I pick and dunk or leave them be? thanks ! Lovepat

Thumbnail by lovepat906 Thumbnail by lovepat906
Minot, ND

Definitely a friend - Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spotted ladybird beetle:
https://uwm.edu/field-station/seven-spotted-ladybug/
Note: Your second image is of the pupa stage of this beetle - an adult beetle eventually will emerge from it.

This message was edited Jun 14, 2021 2:08 PM

Havre De Grace, MD

So are they beneficial? Have a bunch both larvae and pupa. Thanks!

Minot, ND

Yes - One beetle reportedly can eat up to 5000 aphids during its lifetime.

Havre De Grace, MD

There are no aphids on the plants that I can see…weird.

Havre De Grace, MD

Maybe I should move some of them onto my milkweed ( which do not have aphids yet either, but always get them later in the season.

Havre De Grace, MD

Thank you flapdoodle🙏

Minot, ND

They will eat other small, soft-bodied insects besides aphids, such as small caterpillars.

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