small lady beetle - Mulsantina picta

Moved

… Abigail Parker, 5 August, 2013 - 7:46am

Mulsantina picta

The crown-shaped white marking on the head is different from the two white spots around a black center on the head of A. bipunctata. (The image in the thumbnail that's supposed to be A. bipunctata also appears to be M. picta.) The head is the best way to separate these species from a dorsal photo. Mulsantina has a very distinctive underside, as well, which easily separates it from all similar species. Without a ventral view, the head is a reliable feature for ID.

… Abigail Parker, 1 August, 2013 - 7:59am

Amazing!

Thank you Abigail, I would never have guessed!

… Jim McClarin, 4 August, 2013 - 3:33pm

Moved

Moved from Cycloneda.

… Jim McClarin, 12 April, 2008 - 12:17pm

Probably cycloneda

I think this is likely a Cycloneda species, though it is a bit flashier in pronotal markings than munda or sanguinea.

… Stacey N Gingras, 20 April, 2006 - 10:47am

Thank you Stacey.

Due to your expertise I'll move it to genus page.

… Jim McClarin, 20 April, 2006 - 5:23pm

politely disagree

these spotless ladybirds are tricky. But rather, I believe this is Adalia bipunctata, the "two-spotted-often-anything-but" ladybird. Similar to this example

.
The key is the white markings at the middle base of the pronotum. They can vary in shape but are present in all forms of A. bipunctata, except the red-on-black form (ref (1)). Cycloneda, all 3 US species of which are now well represented in BugGuide, don't have this same marking. Maybe we should start a petition to change the species name to something more representative of its form :)

… Tim Moyer, 27 February, 2008 - 12:22pm

Thanks, Tim.

I guess I'll go with your ID as you seem to be the resident authority on this family.

… Jim McClarin, 12 April, 2008 - 12:16pm

Harmonia?

Thought for a moment it might be Cycloneda, but on further investigation think it is another of the many color patterns of Asian multicolored. Hope we're wrong! We'll see what others think. Check out the poster from U Guelph here

… john and jane balaban, 4 September, 2005 - 7:04pm

Pronotal markings

are like neither Asian multi or Cycloneda, at least in the poster.

… Jim McClarin, 4 September, 2005 - 7:29pm