faerye , 1 month ago

Yesterday I was helping a friend in his garden, and saw quite a few ladybugs. We’re told the Asian Lady #Beetle is outcompeting local varieties, but I saw almost as many Western Polished Lady Beetles as ALBs. (The ALBs however were obviously engaged in furthering their success in #Oregon: Content Note for beetle sex!)

#ladybug

Asian lady beetles stacked on each other in a presumed mating. They are on the leaf of what I believe is a stinging nettle. Both have many small black spots on their ripe-tomato red wing-cases, and we get a good look at the little antennaed head each has tucked neatly below the broad shield of the pronotum.