Size
Adults: 6-8.5mm, larvae a maximum of 9mm (U. Ga website)
Identification
A little larger than typical ladybugs. Each elytron has 8 spots; pronotum immaculate (spotless)
- noted here. Orange to copper colored.
(1) and (U. Ga website).
Range
Originally Mexico and SW United States, but since 1920 has spread into the eastern U.S.
(1). Also present in Ontario, Canada. (U. Guelph website)
Food
Beans, soybeans, cowpeas, clover, alfalfa, kudzu, and beggartick/beggarweed.
(1) and (U. Ga. website)
Adults and larvae feed on surface of leaves. Eaten leaves take on lacy appearance.
(1) and (U. Ga. website)
Life Cycle
Eggs develop into adults in approximately 1 month, with 1-4 generations per year depending on climate.
(1)
Adults overwinter in plant debris or protected location and emerge when temperature reaches 50 degrees F. Adults live approx. 6 weeks. Females lay hundres of yellow-orange, elliptical eggs which hatch in about a week. Larvae feed 2-4 weeks, pupation is 5-10 days. (U. Ga website)
Remarks
A project to control these beetles in the eastern U.S. was attempted in the 1920s using a natural parasitic wasp predator from Mexico, but the wasp used did not survive in temperate climates.
(1)Print References
Peterson's Beetle Guide [cite:2469,236-237]. (see Fig. 100)
Internet References
Purdue Entomology (includes photo of life cycle stages and Indiana life cycle timeline)
