Conifer ladybug
| Conifer ladybug | ||||||||||||
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Conifer ladybird ( Aphidecta obliterata ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Aphidecta obliterata | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The conifer ladybird or mountain ladybird ( Aphidecta obliterata ) is a beetle from the ladybird family (Coccinellidae).
description
The beetles are 3.5 to five millimeters long. They come in two color variants. The first is dirty yellow-brownish to brown in color, has an M-shaped mark on the pronotum and usually has one, sometimes two to three black, elongated spots on the back of the wing . This rear area and also the wing cover seam can also be dark. In addition, there are other small dark points distributed over the upper wings. The head is yellow-brown and has two longitudinal ligaments. In the second color variant, the body is colored black, the pronotum can have a fine, light border, and the elytra also have a light, narrow border at the base. However, this edge can also be broadly bright, in which case the beetles then have one or two bright spots approximately in the middle of the wing covers. The antennae and legs are yellow-brown in both variants and the top of the animals is finely and densely dotted.
Occurrence
The beetles occur in Europe , apart from the far north, east to Asia Minor and the Caucasus and live in coniferous forests , especially with spruce , fir and pine vegetation .
Way of life
The adults are found between April and October. They overwinter in groups under the loose bark of the conifers.
food
They feed on aphids , especially species of the Adelgidae and Lachnidae .
literature
- Harde, Severa: Der Kosmos Käferführer, The Central European Beetles , Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-440-06959-1
- Jiři Zahradnik, Irmgard Jung, Dieter Jung et al .: Käfer Central and Northwestern Europe , Parey Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-490-27118-1
