CLOSED: Does anyone know what kind of bug this is?

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ViolaAnn Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a) Jul 07, 2009

I've seen quite a few of these on my hostas this year and can't recall having seen them before.
They are about 1 cm long.

I'm wondering what they are and whether they do any damage.

Thanks,
Ann

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ViolaAnn Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a) Jul 07, 2009

Another view

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jul 07, 2009

Its the larva of a lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a voracious predator on other small, soft-bodied arthropods such as aphids.

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ViolaAnn Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a) Jul 07, 2009

Maybe that's why were seeing so many of them this year - we've got a bumper crop of aphids. Thanks.

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ViolaAnn Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a) Jul 08, 2009

I'm not convinced this is exactly right. When I looked up Coleoptera: Coccinellidae, the colours seemed different. Also, I'm seeing a lot of these adult beetles around - a lot like a Lady Bug, but certainly a different colour. Are they beneficial or a pest?

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ViolaAnn Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a) Jul 08, 2009

And on the underside of many of the leaves, I'm seeing this which is, I think, yet another stage. The white and black speckled one would flip up into the air from one end and was very hard to photograph.

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jul 09, 2009

These indeed all are lady beetles. The adult beetle is in the genus Anatis - see http://tinyurl.com/lfgxdw for an example. Your last image is that of a lady beetle pupa next to a larva. Lady beetle pupae usually are attached to a solid object at the tip of their abdomen, but are quite mobile and will move vigorously if poked or prodded.

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ViolaAnn Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a) Jul 09, 2009

How fascinating. Thank you. Do you have any idea why I'm suddenly seeing these darker beetles for the first time now?

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jul 09, 2009

Perhaps they've always been in the area but simply overlooked. All I can say is that this species appears well documented from Ontario.

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