Ladybird larvae

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:59 pm

They are a species of ladybird, with the larvae aggregating as they are about to pupate. The striped larvae (insert pic#1) are attaching to the tree, and forming pupae. They will all hatch in about 2 weeks after these pics were taken. I wish I could have stayed longer in order to photograph it.

These were taken on my recent vacation and I was amazed at the amount of trees which had huge sections covered with caterpillars (pic #2) There were thousands of them!!

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:44 am

Nice finding Joan.

I saw something similar. A bunch of caterpillars on one place and will post it.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:36 am

Thanks for the nice comment Nikola. Please post your pic too so we can see. Are they also ladybirds?

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:55 pm

Joan,

Interesting aggregation! There are several adult beetles near the top of the first picture, that look oddly shaped for ladybirds. Are they a different species?

--Rik

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:11 pm

Fascinating posting showing some very interesting behaviour. There is just so much to learn about the natural world isn't there - a thousand lifetimes wouldn't be enough.

Very helpful inset too.

Bruce

jaharris1001 · Post by **jaharris1001** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:08 pm

how unusual Joan

I keep thinking about that guy on the survivor show, you probably have one there too,, he'd have a FULL meal there if he was starving

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:34 pm

They probably are pretty nourishing if there was not anything else available, Jim. Pretty nice congregation there Joan, never seen anything like that before.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:51 pm

WOW

Up here we get the adult ladybirds congragating in the hundreds to overwinter. Sometimes in your houses, which is a real pain because you do not want to kill them. I heard you can put a nylon stocking over your vaccuum cleaner hose and suck them up than get them out of your house

It almost looks like the two different insect larvae in the inset (they look like ladybird larvae) are feeding on the others, Cannot really tell but they do look like different species.

Excellent photos Joan....very nice find!!

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 5:43 pm

Thank you for the interest and the nice replies everyone.
Rik

Are they a different species?

I am not sure Rik. I sent this pic to the entomolgy dept at the university for identification and this was the reply I received back.

Bruce

a thousand lifetimes wouldn't be enough.

I am discovering new facts about wildlife every day. We will never know all there is to know. On the other hand, we just think we know something, then an animal goes and does the opposit, so we have to re-think what we know. LOL!! (Hope that makes sense to you!!)

Jim

I keep thinking about that guy on the survivor show

LOL!! He picked the wrong season Jim...it should have been early summer.

Ken

never seen anything like that before.

Me neither Ken. I would have liked to get photos at a later stage. That is the problem with vacations....too short. LOL!!

Doug

I heard you can put a nylon stocking over your vaccuum cleaner hose

I have had to do this before Doug and it works quite well. LOL! In some of the other trees, the other lavae was not present, so I suspect you are correct in that there are two species here.