CONN 43 .E22 no. 181 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/somecommonladybeOObrit CONNECTICUT Agricultural Experiment Station NEW HAVEN, CONN. BULLETIIV 181, JANUARY, 1914. ENTOMOLOGICAL SERIES. No. 19. Some Common Cady Beetles of Connccficut Fig. 1. The fifteen-spotted lady beetle; larva, pupae and adult. Twice enlarged. CONTENTS. Page Officers and Staff of Station, ... 2 Some Common Lady Beetles of Conn., 3 Lady Beetles of Greatest Economic Im- portance in Conn 5 The Different Species Occurring in Conn 6 The Signate Lady Beetle, . . . S The Twice-Stabbed Lady Beetle, . 10 The Squash Lady Beetle, . . . 11 The Twenty-Spotted Lady Beetle, '. 12 The Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle, . 13 The Painted Lady Beetle, ... 14 The Bulletins of this Station are mailed free to citizens of Connecti- cut who apply for them, and to others as far as the editions permit. The Nine-Spotted Lady Beetle, The Five-Spotted Lady Beetle, The Three-Banded Lady Beetle The Red Lady Beetle, The Two-Spotted Lady Beetle, The Convergent Lady Beetle, The Glacial Lady Beetle, The Parenthesis Lady Beetle, The Thirteen-Spotted Lady Beetle The Spotted Lady Beetle, Summary Page 15 16 16 17 17 18 20 20 21 21 23 CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. OFF^ICERS A-XD STA.KK BOARD OF CONTROL. His Excellency, Simeon E. Baldwin, ex-officio, President. Prof. H. W. Conn, Vice President Mlddletown George A. Hopson, Secretary Walllngford E. H. Jenkins, Director and Treasurer New Haven Joseph W. Alsop Avon Wilson H. Lee Orange Prank H. Stadtmueller Elmwood James H. Webb Hamden Administration. E. H. Jenkins. Ph.D., Director and Treasurer. Miss V. E. Cole, Librarian and Stenographer. Miss L. M. Biautlecht, Bookkeeper and Stenographer. William Veitch, In charge of Buildings and Grounds. Chemistry. Analytical Laboratory. John Phillips Street, M.S., Chemist in Charge. E. Monroe Bailey, Ph.D., C. B. Morison, B.S., C. E. Shepard, G. L. Davis, Assistants, ' Hugo Lange, Laboratory Helper. ' V. L. Churchill, Sampling Agent. Miss E. B. Whittlesey, Stenographer. Proteid Research. T. B. Osborne, Ph.D., Chemist in Charge. Miss E. L. Ferry, M.S., Assistant. Botany. G. P. Clinton, S.D., Botanist. E. M. Stoddard, B.S., Assistant. Miss M. H. Jagger, Sffd Analyst. Miss E. B. Whittlesey, Herbarium Assislaitl. Entomology. W. E. Britton, Ph.L).. Eiiiomo/osut ; Slate Eiilomolosisi. B. H. Walden, B.Agr., First Assistant. Q. S. Lowry. B.S., I. W. Davis, B.S., Assistants. Miss F. M. Valentine, Stenographer. Forestry. Walter O. Filley, Forester; also State Forester and State Forest Fire Warden. A. E. Moss, M.F., Assistant Station Forester. Miss E. L. Avery, Stenographer. Plant Breeding. H. K. Hayes. M.S., Plant Breeder. C. D. Hubbell, Assistant. SOME COMMON LADY BEETLES OF CONNECTICUT. By W. E. Brixton, State Eyitomologist. The beetles commonly known as lady beetles, "lady- birds" "lady bugs" or plant-louse beetles are among the best friends of the farmer or plant grower, because they feed in both larval and adult stages upon plant-lice, scale-insects and the small larvae and eggs of other and larger noxious insects. With the exception of one species, Epilachna borealis Fabr., known as the squash lady beetle, all lady beetles occurring in Connecti- cut are carnivorous and predatory, feeding on the smaller insects many of which are pests of cultivated plants. Hence we call them beneficial. Dr. S. A. Forbes examined the stomach contents of 39 specimens, and found that one-fourth of their food was composed of plant lice ; though they ate some vegetable food such as pollen and the spores of fungi, a greater portion of their food consisted of insects. Though many persons are more or less familiar with lady beetles, some are not acquainted w'ith their habits or life his- tories, and do not, therefore, recognize them as friends. The purpose of this bulletin is to point out the beneficial habits of lady beetles, and to show the appearance of our com- mon species so that they may be protected and encouraged and not destroyed. Professor V. L. Kellogg writes in American Insects" h. friend of mine found that his roses were suffering from insect attack : he saw little, convex, black-spotted reddish beetles clamber- ing busily up and down the stems, and he set to work to pick them off one by one and drop into a tin cup with petroleum in the bottom. When he had a full pint he showed them proudly. But the more little round beetles he picked off the more rapid- ly wilted his roses. And for the wholly sufficient reason that he was collecting and killing lady-birds that were making a fight against the hosts of tiny inconspicuous green rose- aphids that were sucking the sap out of the rose-stems and buds". I am certain that most entomologists have had exper- iences much like that of Professor Kellogg. 4 CONNFXTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN 181. Blatchley in his C"oleoi)tcTa of Indiana, page 508, estimates that about 250 known species of lady beetles occur in this country. More than thirty species and varieties representing 17 genera all taken in Connecticut, are in the Station collection. Several other species which we have not yet taken will probably be found within the borders of the State. Sixty- three species are listed from New Jersey. In the system of insect classification, lady beetles belong to the order Coleoptera (Beetles) and to the family Coccinel- lidfe. They are easily recognized by their convex elongated hemispherical shape, their three-jointed tarsi and their usually conspicuous markings. Though some species are entirely black, most kinds are black with red or yellow spots, or red or yellow with black spots. The wing-covers of most species are smooth and shiny and the beetles are well able to fly from one plant to another. Our largest species is not more than three-eighths of an inch long, and the smallest measures less than one-twentieth of an inch. Though the immature stages of the various kinds of lady beetles differ somewhat, in general the eggs are oval, light yellow in color, and are laid in clusters, each egg being fasten- ed by one end to the leaf or bark of the plant upon which its food insect lives. Such an egg-cluster is shown in figure 9. The larvae of lady beetles are alligator-shaped grubs, us- ually seen running around on foliage, especially if infested with plant lice, and are three-fourths of an inch or less in length with prominent legs, and with body tapering backward, and often covered with warts or spines. Some species are near- ly black, some gray, and others are spotted or checkered with bright colors, the general appearance being shown in figure '■I When the larva is fully grown it fastens itself by the tail to a leaf, stem, or other convenient object, the larval skin pushes upward and forms a wad at the tail, and the insect changes to the pupa (or chrysalid) stage, as shown in the center of figure 9. In this stage the insect only slightly resembles the adult and much less the larva. Fntm the \n\pve the adults soon emerge, mate, and with certain species the females lay eggs for the second generation ; most species of lady beetles, however, probably have only one generation each season. Some, perhaps most kinds, pass the winter as adult beetles; some Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 5 kinds are found in houses or other buildings and some kinds hide under loose bark, stones, or wherever they can find shelter. Recently in Virginia certain lady beetles, especially Megilla fuscilabris and Hippodamia convergens were found parasit- ized by a small four-winged fly, Perilitus americanus Riley, which lays its eggs between the abdominal segments of its host. Though most lady beetles are insectivorous and prey upon various kinds of plant lice and scale insects, Burgess observed that Adalia bipunctata devoured its own eggs even when plenty of other food was available and within easy reach.* The most conspicuous example in history of controlling a pest by means of lady beetles occurred in California, some twenty-five years ago. An Australian insect known as the fluted or cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi Mask., appear- ed in California on orange trees and spread so rapidly over the state that the extensive orange growing industry was threatened. By request Mr. Albert Koebele was appointed an agent of the United States to attend the Melbourne Exposi- tion, and while in Australia paid special attention to searching for the insect enemies of the fluted scale. A lady beetle, Vedalia cardinalis Muls., was found feeding upon the scale and specimens were collected, and five separate lots (altogether about 500 specimens) were brought from Australia to Califor- nia and placed upon the scale-infested trees. The lady beetles multiplied and their progeny were soon transported to each orange growing section. In a few years the cottony cushion scale had been brought under complete control by the Austral- ian lady beetle ; it has never since done much damage on the Pacific coast, and the orange industry still flourishes. In a less striking manner and on a smaller scale our native lady beetles are continually demonstrating their ability to clean up shrubs, trees and even orchards, which were severely at- tacked by plant lice. Lady Beetles of Greatest Economic Importance IN Connecticut. For controlling aphids and scale insects on cultivated plants in Connecticut the most important species are Adalia bipunct- *Bureau of Entomology, Bull. 40, p 27, 1903. 6 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. ata, Anatis xv-punctata, Chilocorus hivulnerus, Coccinella ix-notata, Cycloneda inunda, Hippodamia convergens, H glacialis, H. xiii-punctata H. parenthesis, Hyperaspis signata, Megilla fuscilahris, and Pentilia misella. The Different Species Occurring in Connecticut. The following notes give about all the information obtainable regarding the food habits, and distribution in Connecticut of the different species of lady beetles as well as how to distin- guish them. Several of the species are cosmopolitan, or nearly so, though perhaps more abundant in certain localities than others. For food records all of the principal publications deal- ing with American economic entomology have been examined, and the data from our own collections and laboraton,- and field notes have been included. Coccidula lepida Lee. Color, wing-covers orange or light-brown, marked with black at base and along the outer margins for nearly two-thirds their length ; the inner margins one-third their length from the distal extremity are crossed by a common oval black spot. Thorax o"range or light brown like wing-covers, without spots, head black. Legs and underside of prothorax and abdomen orange or light brown ; underside of meso-and meta-thorax black. Length 3 mm. ; narrow, more elongated and less hemispher- ical in shape than most lady beetles. Immature stages and food habits unknown to the writer. Not common, except perhaps locally. Occurs in swamps. The Station collection has but one specimen, taken in Haniden. Scymnus species. To this genus belongs a numlier of species, of which five have been found in Connecticut. All arc black with a short whitish pubescence and certain species are marked witli orange on the head, thorax or tips of wing-covers. All arc small and would hardly be noticed except by entomologists. Length, 1.5 to 2.5 mm. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 7 Apparently little is known about the immature stages or life history, though Burgess has reared one species from a black larva with whitish wax-like coating, found feeding upon aphids on burdock. 5". punctatus is recorded as feeding upon red spider, clover mite, and upon the citrus white fly in Florida : 6". terminatus upon the melon aphis : 5*. quadripushdatus upon the spring grain aphis or "green bug". Fig. 2. Pentilia niisella LeC. a, beetle; b, larva; c, pupa; d, blossom end of scale-infested pear, showing beetles and their larvEe feeding upon the scales, all greatly enlarged. (After Howard & Marlatt, Bull. 3, N. S. Div. of Ent., U. S. Department of Agriculture.) The records of the species in the Station collection are as follows : 5'. americanus Muls., New Haven, Scotland ; S. brullei Muls., Branford ; S. collaris Muls., Yalesville ; 6". fraternus Lee, Hamden, New Haven; S. puncticoUis Lee, New Haven. Scotland ; 6". tenebrosus Muls., New Haven. Probably several other species occur in Connecticut as 21 species are listed from New Jersey. 8 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. Pentilia misella Lee. ( Sviilia misella: Microweisia misella). Color, uniformly black throughout: dorsal surface shiny. Length, 1 mm. or less. Figure 2, shows adult, larval and pupal stages. The smallest lady beetle mentioned in this bulletin, and the most important one as a destroyer of the San Jose Scale. It is locally common on badly infested trees and is recorded as feeding on aphis on elm. Our records show that it has been collected in Hartford, Mt. Carmel and New Haven. Hyperaspis fimbriolata Mels., and H. undulata Say. Color, black with wavy yellow margins on thorax and wing- covers, and a yellow oval discal spot. Length, 2 to 3 mm. Little is known of the immature stages, life history or habits of these species. H. undulata is said to feed upon the spring grain aphis or "green bug". Our specimens are all from New Haven. The^Signate Lady Beetle, Hyperaspis signata Oliv., var. binotata Say. Color, wing-covers, thorax and head black, a red circular discal spot on each wing-cover. Male with head and front and lateral margins of thorax yellow. In the type there is a subapical red or yellow spot on each wing-cover about one- fourth the size of the discal spot. Length, 2.5 mm. Variety binotata Say., is somewhat larger and lacks the sub- apical spots. Variety proba Say., is smaller and has two sub- apical spots. The larva is white and woolly. The species is a great des- troyer of cottony maple scale (Puhinaria vitis) and cleaned up some badly infested trees in New Jersey in 1905-'06. It also feeds upon the woolly maple leaf scale {Phenacoccns accricola) and the tulip scale. The Station collection contains specimens of the variety binotata from East River, New Haven and Oxford, and of the variety proba from New Haven. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 9 Brachyacantha ursina Fabr. Color, wing-covers black with five orange spots on each ; thorax black, with lateral margins and sometimes front margin marked with orange or light yellow. Head black, area be- tween the eyes suffused with orange. Underside of body dark brown or black. Legs, femora dark brown or black, tibiae and tarsi orange. Length, 3 to 4 mm. See figure 3. Little has been published regarding the immature stages. Very common on native plants and collectors gather them in great numbers when "sweeping" but is seldom seen on culti- vated plants. At Hartford it was observed feeding on aphids on a plum tree, but we have no other food records. This lady beetle doubtless occurs throughout the state, and the Station collection contains specimens and records from Fig. 3. Brachyacantha ursina. FiG. 4. Delphastus pusilhis. Larva feeding upon Aleyrodes. Branford, East Haven, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Scotland, Stonington, Torrington, Wallingford, Wethersfield and Windsor. Delphastus pusillus Lee. {Oyptognatha pusilhis.) Color, wing-covers and thorax, black without markings. Head and legs yellow. Length, 1 to 2 mm. A small inconspicuous species and economically unimportant. Larva first described from Connecticut by the present writer. Length about 4 mm., ground color gray or dirty white with a white median line extending the whole length of the body; two pear-shaped black spots on first thoracic segment as shown in figure 4. The pupa is cream color. Feeds upon Aleyrodes coryli infesting the hazel bush. Taken only at Poquonock in the town of Windsor. 10 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. The Twice-Stabbed Lady Beetle, Chilocoyus bhnilnerus Muls. Color, wing-covers black with a blood red circular or el- liptical spot near the center of each. Head, thorax and legs, black. Underside of thorax black, abdomen red. Almost hemispherical in shape with the thorax indented or drawn Fig. 5. The twice-stabbed lady Fig. 6. Pupa cases of the twice- beetle; twice enlarged. stabbed lady beetle; twice enlarged. within the circumference formed by the horizontal flange of the margins of the wing-covers. Shown in figure 5. Length 4 to 5.5 mm. The larva is spiny. The pupa is black and covered with spines as shown in figure 6. There is but one generation each year and the eggs are laid singly under the shells of scale insects and under the edges of the bark. This is one of the most important lady beetles feeding upon the San Jose Scale. It also feeds upon the scurfy scale, cherry scale, Putnam's scale, Howard's scale in Colorado, pine leaf scale, pine bark scale, cottony maple scale, woolly maple leaf scale, an orange scale {Lepidosaphcs glove ri) and the citrus white fly in Florida, hop aphis, melon aphis, rosy apple aphis, Mysus sp., aphid on burdock, and the Colorado potato beetle. An adult has been observed to eat 50 birch aphid eggs daily. It is found commonly throughout the state, but there are def- inite records as follows: Bloomfield, Farmington, Hartford, Milford, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New London, Norfolk, Norwich, Rainbow, South Coventry, Ston- ington, Stratford, Wallingford and \\'aterbury. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 11 The Squash Lady Beetle, EpilacJma borealis Fabr. Color, wing-covers yellow, each bearing seven black spots, two of which are sutural. Thorax yellow with four black Fig. 7. The squash lady-beetle; a, larva; b, pupa; c, adult beetle, three times natural size ; d, 0.%%, four times natural size ; e, surface of same highly magnified. (After Chittenden, Bulletin 19, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture.) spots, one on front and one on rear margin on median line, one near each lateral margin, variable. Head and legs yellow. Undersurface varying from yellow to dark brown. Shown in figure 7. Length 8 to 10 mm. Fig. 8. Work of the squash lady beetle ; greatly reduced. 12 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. The larva is yellow with black branching spines, and about half an inch long. Except for the 15-spotted lady beetle this is the largest species found in Connecticut, and it is the only species causing serious injury to plants. Both larvae and adults feed upon the leaves of cucurbits, particularly squash, causing the damage shown in figure 8. The larvse feed upon the underside of the leaves while the adults are usually upon the upper side. It has also been observed to feed upon rag- weed. There is probably only one brood each year. As a pest it can easily be controlled by spraying the leaves with lead arsenate. An account of this insect may be found in the Re- port of this Station for 1908, page 810. Though the squash lady beetle occurs throughout the state, our specimens are from Hartford, Ledyard, New Haven and Norwalk. A closely related species E. corrupta injures beans in the southwestern states. The Twenty-Spotted Lady Beetle, Psylhbora xx-viaculata Say. Color, wing-covers light yellow, each marked with eight black spots. The thorax has four black spots on a yellow ground work, thus giving the beetle its name. The arrange- ment of the spots is shown in figure 10. Head and legs yellow. Undersurface brown. Length, 2.5 mm.. Larva white ; a pair of dusky spots on prothorax ; a pair of similar spots each side of median line on meso-thorax and meta-thorax. Two dusky spots on first abdominal segment, four spots on each of second to sixth segments ; two on each of seventh and eighth. Tarsi dusky. Length, 4 mm. There are few definite food records. The species is suppos- ed to feed upon plant lice. Our specimens are from Bran ford, Hamden. New Haven and Portland. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 13 The Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle, Anatis XV -punctata OH v. Color varies from light reddish yellow to dark reddish brown with eight spots on each wing-cover, arranged as shown in figure 9. Thorax black, laterally with broad whitish margins containing a triangular black spot on each side ; two whitish spots at rear margin. Underside of body black with margins reddish yellow or brown. Legs, femora black, tibiae and tarsi brown. Over-wintered specimens are often so dark that the spots on the wings are obliterated. Length, 10 mm. Our largest lady beetle. Fig. 9. The fifteen-spotted lady beetle in all its stages; enlarged about three times. The eggs are light yellow, oval, and are laid in clusters of ten or twelve usually on the underside of the larger branches of the tree. The larva is about three-fourths of an inch long nearly black, with sharp tubercles or short spines on each seg- ment, and is very active in catching and devouring plant lice. The pupa is light yellow with brown spots, and is fastened to the bark or surface of a leaf. Shown also on front cover of this bulletin. The 15-spotted lady beetle was very abundant in 1909 and 1910 and served as an effective check on the rosy apple aphis. It is most commonly found on shade and orchard trees. 14 CONNIXTICUT EXPERIMKNT StATIOX, BULLETIN 181. The food records follow : Green and rosy apple aphids, aphid on peach, cherry aphis, current aphis, plum aphis, aphids on poplar, a birch aphid probably Callipterus hetulaecolens, the aphid probably Chaitophorus aceris commonly infesting Nor- way maples in early summer, elm aphis {Callipterus ulmifolii), larvre of the Colorado potato lieptle, the cottony maple scale, woolly maple leaf scale (Phenacoccus acericola), gypsy and brown-tail moth caterpillars. This department has specimens and records from the fol- lowing localities in Connecticut ; Clintonville, Danbur}^, East Haven, East River, Fairfield, Hamden, Hartford, Meriden. New Canaan, New Haven, Niantic, North Haven, Orange, Rainbow, Southport, Stafford, Stonington, Stratford, Thomp- son, Wallingford, Westbrook and Woodbridge. Fig. 10. The twenty-spotted Fig. 11. The painted lady lady beetle. beetle. The Painted Lady Beetle. Hannonia pida Rand. ( Cleis pida.) Color, wing-covers light yellow (sometimes greenish) marked with double black lunules. Thorax and head also light yellow ornamented with black markings, more easily illustrated than described, and shown in figure 11. Underside, body black, thorax black, marked with light yellow on lateral margins and between front and middle pairs of legs. Legs, honey yellow. Length 4 to 5 mm. Immature stages apparently unknown. Not common but found in pine trees in early spring. It is recorded as feeding upon pine leaf scale, {Cliioiiaspis pinifoliae) and the pine bark scale {Cherries piiiicorticis), and various aphids. Specimens in the Station collection are from Stonington and Wallingford. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 15 Another species H. similis Rand, is black with a red cres- cent mark on each wing-cover. Our collection contains only one specimen from East River. The Nine- Spotted Lady Beetle. Coccinella novemnotata Hbst. ( ix-notata.) Color, red or reddish brown or yellow with four black spots on each wing-cover and a common one on the inner margin near the base ; hence the name. Thorax black with front margin red or yellow ; head red or yellow. Legs and entire undersurface black. Shown in figure 12. Length, 5.5 to 7 mm. Fig. 12. The nine-spotted lady beetle. Fig. 13. The five-spotted lady beetle. The larva has black markings on the thoracic segments and whitish markings on the first, fourth, sixth and seventh abdom- inal segments. Thirty days are required for this species to develop from the ^gg to the adult stage. This is a common and important species for checking plant lice, and on account of its rather large size is more often noticed than the smaller species. An adult has been known to eat 100 aphids daily. It has been recorded as feeding upon the pea aphis, melon aphis, cabbage aphis, hop aphis, currant aphis, woolly apple aphis, plum aphis, birch aphis, rose aphis, spring grain aphis or "green bug", European grain aphis, German grain aphis, alfalfa weevil, Colorado potato beetle, and red spider. We have records and specimens from Branford, Danbury, Meriden, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, North Haven, Sachems' Head, South Lyme, Stafford, Stonington, Walling- ford and Woodmont. It occurs all over the state. 16 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. The Five-Spotted Lady Beetle. Coccinella tra7isv^rsogiiitata Fabr. (v-nolata.) Color, wing-covers red, marked with a basal cross-band as in C. trifasciata; the middle and rear bands, however, are much shorter than in that species often being little more than elon- gated dots. See figure 13. Thorax black, with front half of lateral margins yellow ; head black with two yellow spots be- tween the eyes. Legs and undersurface black. Length, 6 to 8 mm. The largest species of the genus Coc- cinella found in Connecticut. Not common. It has been recorded as feeding on the hop aphis, woolly apple aphis and the European grain aphis. Specimens from Manchester, Middletown, New Haven, Thompson and AVallingford are in the Station collection. Fig. 14. The three-banded Fig. 15. The red lady lady beetle. beetle. The Three-Banded Lady Beetle. Coccinella trifasciata Linn. ( perplex a ^lels.y' Color, wing-covers light yellow or red, each crossed by three black bands, the front band reaching the inner, but not the lateral, margins ; the middle and rear bands not extend- ing to either margin. Thorax black with light yellow or red- dish front margin ; head black, light yellow or red between the eyes. Legs and undersurface black. Shown in figure 14. Length, 4 to 5 mm. The writer is not familiar with the immature stages. Bur- gess found that one adult ate 100 eggs daily of the birch aphid ; it also fed on several other kinds of aphids. The species probably occurs throughout Connecticut. Our records are as follows : Branford, Hamden, Hartford, Man- chester, New Haven, Portland, Staflford, Wallingford. \\'ood- bury and Yalesville. This species, though common on native vegetation is not as abundant on cultivated plants as the pre- ceding species. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 17 A single specimen of another species as yet unidentified which may prove to be a form of C. monticola Muls., was collected at Wallingford. The Red Lady Beetle. Cycloneda 77iunda Say. (Erro- neously Coccinella sangiiinea, a tropical species.) Color, wing-covers dull red or yellow without spots. Tho- rax black with front margin yellow and ornamented as shown in figure 15. Head black, marked with yellow between the eyes. Underside of body black, legs yellow. Length, 4 to 5 mm. This lady beetle has been recorded as feeding upon the pea aphis, melon aphis, hop aphis, spring grain aphis or "green bug", aphid on birch, chinch bug, Colorado potato beetle, and the citrus white fly and the purple scale in Florida. The species is common on native and cultivated plants and serves as a check to plant lice. It occurs all over the state. Our records are as follows : Branford, East River, Hartford, New Haven, Portland, Stafford, Stonington and Wallingford. The Two-Spotted Lady Beetle. Adalia bipunctata Linn. Color, wing-covers light red with a circular or irregular- shaped black spot nearly in the center of each. Thorax black with lateral margins yellow, sometimes two yellow spots on Fig. 16. The two-spotted FiG. 17. Adalia humeralis. lady beetle. rear margin ; head usually black but sometimes with two small yellow spots. Legs and underside of body, black. Shown in figure 16. Probably the commonest of our lady beetles. It hibernates in houses, often occurring in considerable numbers with elm leaf beetles. Nearly every year, some good housewife sends specimens to this office with a statement that they were eating 18 CoxxECTicuT Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. her carpets and asks for a remedy. It is often difficult to convince her that another insect, the carpet beetle is respon- sible for the damage, and that the two spotted lady beetle is one of her friends and should be protected. The same mis- take has been made frequently in New York and other states. This species feeds chiefly on plant lice ; the adults ha\e been observed to devour 100 aphid eggs daily. We have food records as follows : Eggs and adults of pear psylla, green and rosy apple aphids, pea aphis, cherry aphis, currant aphis, hop aphis, rose aphis, aphids on peach and plum, cabbage aphis, honeysuckle aphis, birch aphis, Norway maple aphis (Chaifo- phorus aceris) aphid on buckthorn, aphid on Hydrangea, elm aphis {Calliptenis ulmifolii) elm scale (Gossyparia spiiri'n, and eggs of its own species. The two-spotted lady beetle occurs throughout the state. We have specimens and records from Branford, Bridgeport, Glas- tonbury, Hartford, Ledyard, Meriden, New Haven. North Haven, Southburv^, South Lyme, Stonington. .Suffield. \\'alling- ford, Westport and Windsor. Adalia humeralis Say. This species shown in figure 17, considered by some to be a variety of bipunctata, has black wing-covers with red spots, and red on the outside of each wing-cover at the base. The size of these marks vary greatly in a series of specimens. The thorax is black with lateral margins yellow. Size as in hipunctata. Comparatively rare. Has been observed feeding on plant lice in Oregon and Cal- ifornia. We have adults from New Haven, Stonington and Wallingford. The Convergent Lady Beetle, //ippodamia convergens Guer. Color, wing-covers dark red or yellow, each marked with six black dots as shown in figure 18. Thorax black with front and lateral margins yellow, and two oblique yellow bars as figured. Head black, witli ncIIow between the eyes. Legs and undersurface entirely black. Length, 6 to 7 mm. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 19 Larva, first thoracic segment yellov/ marked with four black spots ; second and third gray with yellow median line dividing a black cross-band on each segment. First and fourth abdom- inal segments yellow; fifth, sixth and seventh marked laterally with yellow. According to published records this species feeds upon pea aphis, melon aphis, cabbage aphis, cotton aphis, hop aphis, plum aphis, cherry aphis, spring grain aphis or "green bug", European grain aphis, German grain aphis, aphis on cactus, woolly apple aphis, bean thrips, alfalfa weevil, chinch bug, red spider, eggs of grape root worm, asparagus beetle larvae, and eggs of the Colorado potato beetle. Professor S. J. Hunter found that the adult would eat from 50 to 60 "green bugs" (aphids) per day. Fig. 18. The convergent Fig. 19. The glacial lady lady beetle. beetle. This is the lady beetle which is gathered in large quantities from near the snow line of the Sierra Mountains where it hibernates and distributed to melon and other truck growers in California, about 30,000 being considered sufficient for ten acres. Several tons of lady beetles, are thus distributed from the state insectary each year*. This is considered the most important lady beetle in control- ling the cabbage aphis in New York state. Though this species is apparently less common in Connect- icut than some other lady beetles, it is an important destroyer of plant lice. Our specimens are from New Canaan, New Haven, Wood- bury and Yalesville. *Monthly Bulletin, California State Commission of Horticulture^ Vol. I, pp. 71-81, 1912. 20 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. The Glacial Lady Beetle. Hippodamia glacialis Fabr. Color, wing-covers red or dark yellow, each marked with black spots as follows ; a small one at base, a large one at apex and a cross-band or double spot at the apical third. Thorax black with yellow front and lateral margins, with o?jlique yellow bars as in H. convergens. Head black with diamond- shaped yellow spot between the eyes. Legs and undersurface black. See figure 19. Length, 6 to 8 mm. The writer is not familiar with the immature stages of this lady beetle. The published food records are as follows ; pea aphis, cab- bage aphis, melon aphis, clover aphis, German grain aphis, chinch bug, larva of Colorado potato beetle. An important enemy of the melon aphis and other plant lice. Fig. 20. The parenthesis Fig. 21. The thirteen-spotted lady beetle. lady beetle. Occurs over the state ; our records are from Branford, East Haven, Manchester, Milford, Mount Carmel, New Haven, Newington, Prospect, Southington, Stratford and Stonington. The Parenthesis Lady Beetle. Hippodamia paroithcsis Say. Color, wing-covers red or yellow marked with black as follows ; a parenthesis mark near apex, and a small spot at base of each ; a triangular common spot at base on inner mar- gins. Thorax black with narrow yellow margin in front and laterally. Front margin projects backward to a point on median line and a yellow median spot at rear margin. Head black with three small yellow diamond-shaped spots between the eyes. Legs and undersurface, black. Shown in figure 20. Length, 4 to 5 mm. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 21 No description of the larva can be given. Habits much the same as the preceding. This species feeds upon melon aphis, clover aphis, spring grain aphis or "green bug" and European grain aphis. Apparently this species occurs throughout the state. Spec- imens in the Station collection are from Bantam, Branford, Cromwell, Hamden, Meriden, Milford, New Haven, North Haven, Prospect, Scotland, Southington, Torrington, Wal- lingford and Yalesville. The Thirteen-Spotted Lady Beetle. Hippodaviia xiii-piindata Linn. Color, wing-covers red or yellow, each marked with six circular or oblong spots as shown in figure 21, and a small oval common spot at the base on the inner margin. Thorax black with a rather broad front and lateral yellow margin. Head black, mouth parts yellow. Undersurface of body and femora black, tibiae and tarsi yellow. Length, 4.5 to 5.5 mm. I have found no description of the larva. The species is said to feed upon the pea aphis, melon aphis, clover aphis, German grain aphis, and the eggs of the Colorado potato beetle. The following localities are represented by specimens in the Station collection. East Hartford, Hartford, New Haven, Stafford, Stratford and Woodmont. The Spotted Lady Beetle. Megilla fuscilabrisy[.v\%. (Erroneously maculata Deg"., a tropical species.) Color, wing-covers bright red or pink, each marked with Fig. 22. The spotted lady beetle Megilla fuscilabris. seven black spots as shown in figure 22, one spot at base and another at the apical third joining the inner margin and ap- 22 Connecticut Exi'Kkimk.nt Station, Bullktik 181. pearing as common to both wing-co\ers. Thorax red or pink on front and lateral margins and median band leaving two triangular black spots. Head black with a red median stripe. Legs and undersurface of body, black. Longer, narrower, less convex and brighter color than most kinds of lady beetles. Length, 4.5 to 5.5 mm. The larva is dark gray or nearly black : prothorax black with rear margin and median line, white; meso-thorax and meta-thorax whitish with a pair of large o\ al black spots on each. First and fourth abdominal segments, whitish the first with an oblong transverse spot. The spotted lady beetle is known to feed upon the pea aphis, melon aphis, cabbage aphis, currant aphis, spring grain aphis or "green bug", German grain aphis, chinch bug, eggs of Colorado beetle, and cotton boll worm, larvae of asparagus beetle and cottonwood leaf beetle. It is also reported as eating pollen and fungus spores, and in 1883 was said to injure com in Fairfield, Conn, by eating into the soft kernels. The injury was slight, however. The spotted lady beetle hibernates in moderate numbers under rubbish. It is one of our most beneficial lady beetles, and is found throughout the state. Our specimens are from Fairfield, Guilford, Hartford, Lyme, Meriden, Milford, New Haven, Norwalk, Warehouse Point, West Hartford and Yalesville. Anisosticta seriata Mels. Color, wing-covers yellow, marked like M. fiiscilabris, but with the black spots larger and run together. Thorax l)lack Fig. 23. Aiiisosficla seriata. Fig. 24. .b/isos/ic/a s/rij^a/a. with front and lateral margins yellow. Head and legs black. Undersurface of body black with yellow on prothorax and margins of abdomen. See figure 23. Length, 5 to 6 mm. Lady Beetles of Connecticut. 23 Little is apparently known regarding the immature stages^ life history, or food habits of this lad}^ beetle. Smith states that it is locally common on aphid-infested goldenrod and in swamps in Southern New Jersey. Not common in Connecti- cut. The few specimens in the Station collection were taken in New Haven and Woodmont. Anisosticta strigata Thunb. Color, wing-covers, thorax and head, light yellow, marked with black spots as shown in figure 24. Underside of body black, legs light yellowish brown. Length, 3 to 4 mm. Apparently little is known about the immature stages of this insect ; in fact it will be seldom seen except by collectors. No data could be found regarding its food habits. The Station collection contains specimens from Hamden, New Haven and Orange. Besides the species of lady beetles just mentioned, we may expect also to find in Connecticut more than one species of Brachyacantha, six being listed from New Jersey ; and several forms of Hyperaspis of which eight are recorded from New Jersey. We may also fairly expect to find Neomysia pullata Say., which resembles Cycloneda munda though larger (6 to 7 mm.) and with different thoracic markings, and occurs on pine trees. It is also recorded from both Massachusetts and New Jersey. There are also a few other genera particularly Axion and Exochomus, examples of which will probably be found in Connecticut. SUMMARY. On the whole lady beetles are of great benefit to plant groW' ers because they feed upon and destroy many noxious insects, especially plant lice and scale insects. There are about 250 different kinds in this country and over 30 in Connecticut. 24 Connecticut Experiment Station, Bulletin 181. Many persons do not recognize them as friends. They should not be destroyed. In California certain kinds have cleaned up aphis infested fields and scale infested orchards. In Connecticut two kinds feed commonly upon the San Jose Scale. Most kinds are more or less hemispherical in shape, red. yellow or black in color and spotted. Exceptions exist of course. The only species causing prominent injury in Connec- ticut is' the squash lady beetle which devours squash leaves. The commonest kinds are described and figured in the fore- going pages of this bulletin. 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