Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle with Fungus - Harmonia axyridis

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Abigail Parker, 7 April, 2012 - 8:20am

Info

Laboulbeniales fungus
http://bugguide.net/node/view/393061
Spots
http://bugguide.net/node/view/397

… John R. Maxwell, 6 April, 2012 - 3:28pm

Thanks,

John, I very much appreciate the link to that very interesting info and ID!

… Nancy Kent, 6 April, 2012 - 3:46pm

Hesperomyces virescens

Hi Nancy,

The fungus probably is Hesperomyces virescens (Fungi, Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales).

Laboulbeniales are obligate ectoparasitic fungi that live associated with arthropods, mostly insects. The order presently comprises about 2,050 species in 140 genera.
Hesperomyces virescens is one of the few taxa in Laboulbeniales penetrating the host’s integument with a haustorium. Haustoria make contact with the host’s haemocoel and draw nutrient material from it.

… Danny Haelewaters, 19 August, 2012 - 6:14pm

Thank you,

Danny, for that detailed explanation and identification of the fungus.

… Nancy Kent, 19 August, 2012 - 7:11pm

More Laboulbeniales?

Hi Nancy,
You're welcome!
I saw on your profile that you live near a large park in Radford, Virginia? Do you often collect beetles, coccinellids and/or flies. And do you see them infected sometimes? [As for myself, I only recently moved to the States!]

Thanks!
Danny

… Danny Haelewaters, 19 August, 2012 - 11:40pm

Welcome to the U.S., Danny!

And welcome to Bug Guide!
I do live about one mile from the wooded park that is in the center of our small city. 54 acres is fairly small, actually. However, we do have a creek, a small wetland area, a moist western slope, and a drier eastern slope. That gives us a lot of plant and animal diversity, and I take photos of as much of it as possible. Bug Guide has been a tremendous help in getting many of the critters identified. I have a print with an ID label made and put it into an album of the month when the photo was taken.
I have found only a couple of infected beetles in the four years that I've been working on the project.

… Nancy Kent, 20 August, 2012 - 8:00pm

Collecting?

So I guess you do not collect (keep the specimens?
Iwould be interested in collecting, identifying/describing parasite species on all kinds of hosts.

The park you talk about reminds me of a (small) nature reserve in The Netherlands, where a lot of work is done. It is not large at all, but it is just very well studied, so well-known biodiversity! It is great to have different sorts of microhabitats in the area. The wetland as well as the moist part should be good habitats for Laboulbeniales. It might be worth checking it out and collecting while I'm in the States.

… Danny Haelewaters, 20 August, 2012 - 8:12pm