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Photo#105334
Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum

Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum
Fullerton, Orange County, California, USA
April 24, 2007
Size: approx. 1/4 "
I found these in a local park, on the trunks of sycamore trees, as well as a nearby fence. They are the size and shape of ladybug larvae, but with unfamiliar coloring/markings. There were also several larvae of the Asian ladybugs in the same area. Because of their size, and the fact that they were on surfaces that did not contain apparent food sources, I am guessing that they were mature larvae looking for a place to pupate. In fact I found one that had just split its skin.

Images of this individual: tag all
Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum Beetle larva - Axion plagiatum Twice stabbed lady beetle - Axion plagiatum Twice stabbed lady beetle - Axion plagiatum Twice stabbed lady beetle - Axion plagiatum

Moved
Moved from Axion plagiatum.

Moved
Moved from Chilocorus cacti.

Moved

Moved
Moved from Ladybird Beetles.

I agree, it's not Harmonia
they have two-branched spines. It does look like a ladybird, though. We have some very similar images under Chilocorus stigma, in fact. According to our info page that species' range does not extend to the west coast, so maybe you have a different sp. of Chilocorus here.


 
I think I found it. C. orbus
I looked at some of the Chilocorus species, and this one looks like my larvae. And they eat sycamore scale insects, and I found them on and around sycamore trees.

 
C. orbus OR C. fraternus
From Gordon's ref.(1), there are Chilocorus "stigma-like" species occurring on the west coast (and not in C. stigma's range), C. orbus and C. fraternus, and one more in British Columbia, C. tricyclus. Unfortunately, they are undeterminable without dissection (and Gordon suggests they are thus frequently mis-ID-ed in most collections). Suggest we ask if a combined orbus/fraternus page can be created, since they can be separated from stigma by distribution, but not from each other.

 
Combined page: Great idea, Tim.
For the reasons you cited, plus contributors would know they can't get an ID to (single) species.

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