About the Cactus Lady Beetle
Chilocorus cacti, known generally as the cactus lady beetle or the twice-stabbed cactus lady beetle, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is native to the Caribbean region, North America, Central America, and South America. The adults and larvae feed on scale insects, and attempts have been made to use it for biological pest control.
The eggs of Chilocorus cacti are about 1 mm (0.04 in) long, oval and grey. The larvae are cylindrical and moult three times, the fourth instar larva being about 6 mm (0.24 in) long; the larvae are black, with a yellowish-brown girdle, and have large black spines on the dorsal surface. The pupae are diamond-shaped, about 5 mm (0.20 in) long, mottled black and brown, and also spiny. The adult is domed, up to 6 mm (0.24 in) long, a glossy black colour with two large reddish-brown spots on the elytra. This lady beetle is similar in appearance to Chilocorus stigma, but the ventral surface is a burnt orange whereas that of C. stigma is black.
Chilocorus cacti is native to the New World, where its range includes the southern United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and the Caribbean region. It... Wikipedia →