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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Coccinelloidea » Coccinellid group » Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) » Coccinellinae » Hippodamia » apicalis/expurgata complex (Hippodamia apicalis/expurgata complex)
Photo#561225
Hippodamia apicalis/expurgata? - Hippodamia
Copyright © 2011 Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins

Hippodamia apicalis/expurgata? - Hippodamia
Arvada, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA
August 11, 2011
EDITED TO ADD: At first I thought this was H. parenthesis. But after browsing the genus, I came across this photo that looks remarkably similar to my layman's eye:
Could this be Hippodamia apicalis or expurgata? Being east of the Rockies, shouldn't it be H. expurgata?

------------- Former post
I think that this is a Parenthesis ladybeetle. They have become increasingly common in the garden at Applewood in Arvada. I have only found them on Cosmos bipinnatus.
This one looks almost tricolor, and the nearly heart-shaped pattern struck me as interesting.
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Contributed by Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins on 11 August, 2011 - 12:57pm
Last updated 21 October, 2011 - 3:20pm

Moved
Moved from Hippodamia.
… Abigail Parker, 21 October, 2011 - 3:20pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Lady Beetles.
… Abigail Parker, 21 October, 2011 - 3:19pm login or register to post comments

yes, H. apicalis/expurgata - can't tell which
Unfortunately, both spp. occur east of the Rockies in Colorado; at least from the range maps currently available, H. expurgata is only alone in its east-of-the-Rockies range in California and Arizona. I wish I could get closer than that! Very striking beetle, nice find!
… Abigail Parker, 3 September, 2011 - 9:43am login or register to post comments

Moved for expert attention
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 21 August, 2011 - 6:42pm login or register to post comments

Must be a good year for them.
Must be a good year for them. I've found about five this year after only having come across one in the past few years.
… Ilona L., 11 August, 2011 - 1:11pm login or register to post comments

 
Actually...
I'm not entirely sure that this individual is H. parenthesis anymore- but you're right, I think it is a good year for the Parenthesis ladies! Found 6 just this morning out on the cosmos.
… Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins, 11 August, 2011 - 1:14pm login or register to post comments

 
Hippodamia apicalis/expurgata
Abigail's comment on the thumbnail you linked is correct, the black vitta meeting at the suture apically tells that this is not H. parenthesis, but rather part of the H. apicalis/expurgata complex. I'm not sure your location can separate these by range alone. Abigail will tell you for sure.
… Tim Moyer, 14 August, 2011 - 1:49pm login or register to post comments

On second thought...
Moved from Parenthesis Lady Beetle.
… Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins, 11 August, 2011 - 1:08pm login or register to post comments

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