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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Flower, Flat Bark and Ladybird Beetles (Cucujoidea) » Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) » Coccinellinae » Hippodamia » Convergent Lady Beetle (Hippodamia convergens)
Photo#241485
Convergent Ladybugs converging (aggregation) - Hippodamia convergens
Copyright © 2008 Beth Sands

Convergent Ladybugs converging (aggregation) - Hippodamia convergens
Danville / Mt. Diablo, California, USA
November 23, 2008
I was searching for Lady beetles and had only seen two of the Convergent kind in a 4 mile span on a hiking trail on Mt. Diablo . Then , in a shaded area of only 20 yards there were clusters of Convergent Lady beetles on the rocks and leaves along the trail . There were many dead Ladybeetles on the trail leading to this prosperous spot in the woods . It was about 55 degrees after a foggy early morning at about the 2400 ft level . It was about noon when I came across the clusters . Are they hibernating already ? This is the first time that I found soo many Lady beetles in one spot . They looked more like they were huddling together to keep warm then looking for a mate . Any comments are welcome to further my buggie knowledge , thanks , sincerely Beth
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Contributed by Beth Sands on 23 November, 2008 - 11:45am
Last updated 16 July, 2009 - 2:55pm

group hug
Yes, I believe this is fairly typical winter gathering action for ladybirds, and I've especially heard about these gatherings in the mountains of CA. (btw, how high were you?) I believe, at least in years past, folks who knew where these gathering occurred would scoop them into bags, boxes, and jars, and then sell them by the pound to orchards and farms across the country as pest suppression.

I think I see way more than a couple of spotless ones - also H. convergens (I thought they always had a least minimal spots)? Or possibly C. californica / C. novemnotata crashing the party? - On second thought, they both require a dark suture line down the elytra.

Thanks for sharing this image with us :)
… Tim R. Moyer, 23 November, 2008 - 7:59pm login or register to post comments

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