''Chilocorus orbus'' is a species of

lady beetle Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...

in the family

Coccinellidae Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...

. It is native to North America. It is a black, domed beetle with two large red spots and is commonly called the twice-stabbed lady beetle. Both adults and larvae feed on

scale insect Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than the ...

Description

The adult ''Chilocorus orbus'' is a dome-shaped beetle some long with club-shaped antennae. The shiny black elytra bear two oval red patches and the ventral surface of the beetle is reddish. There are other species of black-with-red-spots lady beetle with which this insect might be confused, these being ''

Axion plagiatum ''Axion plagiatum'' is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain ...

'', ''

Chilocorus kuwanae ''Chilocorus kuwanae'', or Kuwana's lady beetle, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is native to Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and Southern Asia, and has been introduced to North America for biological pest con ...

'', and ''

Olla v-nigrum ''Olla v-nigrum'' is a species in the family Coccinellidae ("lady beetles"), in the suborder Polyphaga. The species is known generally as the ashy gray lady beetle. The distribution range of ''Olla v-nigrum'' includes Central America, North Amer ...

'', however in ''Chilocorus orbus'', the red patches are nearer the head than they are in the other species. The larvae resemble miniature alligators, have long legs and are grey or blackish; they have elongated bodies covered with branching spines. The pupae are also blackish and spiny, but are broader and shorter than the larvae.

Distribution and habitat

''Chilocorus orbus'' is one of about a dozen species of ''

Chilocorus ''Chilocorus'' is a genus of beetles belonging to the family Coccinellidae, subfamily Chilocorinae. List of species These species belong to the genus ''Chilocorus''. * '' Chilocorus bipustulatus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) - Heather ladybird * '' ...

'' that occur in North America. It is predominantly found in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, being replaced in other areas of the United States by other, closely-related species. It is a mostly arboreal insect, found in forests, plantations, orchards and gardens, wherever there are scale insects on which to feed.

Ecology

Both adults and larvae feed voraciously on scale insects on fruit trees, as well as on nut trees and ornamentals. The scales attacked include brown soft scale (''Coccus hesperidum'') on citrus, walnut scale (''Quadraspidiotus juglansregiae''),

sycamore scale Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the ancient Greek ' (''sūkomoros'') meaning "fig-mulberry". Species of trees known as sycamore: * ''Acer pseudoplata ...

(''Stomacoccus platani''),

California red scale ''Aonidiella aurantii'' or red scale is an armored scale insect and a major pest of citrus. It is thought to be a native of South China but has been widely dispersed by the agency of man through the movement of infected plant material. In the ...

(''Aonidiella aurantii''),

San Jose scale The San Jose scale (''Quadraspidiotus perniciosus'') is a hemipterous insect in the family Diaspididae. It is an agricultural pest as it causes damage and crop losses to many fruit crops. In 1914, ''Q. perniciosus'' became the first documented c ...

(''Quadraspidiotus perniciosus'') and

European fruit lecanium European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...

(''Parthenolecanium corni''). The young larvae puncture the scale insects and suck out their juices, venturing under the horny part of the scale to do so, while older larvae and adults chew the scales up and completely consume them.

Description

Distribution and habitat

Ecology

References

Further reading