| Cream-streaked Ladybird (Harmonia quadripunctata (Pontoppidan, 1763)) |
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Scientific name: Harmonia quadripunctata (Pontoppidan, 1763) Common name: Cream-streaked Ladybird French name: Coccinelle à quatre points, Coccinelle arlequin, Coccinelle des pins. Order: Coleoptera Family: Coccinellidae Wingspan : 6-7 mm. Biotope: Pine forests, parks and gardens. This arboreal species is often observed on coniferous trees. Geographic area: Europe except extreme northern regions. Near-East. Observation period : All year. |
The Cream-streaked Ladybird shows a pronotum with a white ground colour and 5 black central patches drawing a cat footprint. There are also small black patches on each side of this central pattern. The elytra are variable and may only show two small patches on the external edge and sometimes up to 16 black dots. The lateral edges of the elytra are whitish. The Multicoloured Asian Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) may also show a cat footprint pattern on the pronotum. It never shows additional small black lateral patches. The lateral edge of the elytra is not whitish. The Ten-spotted Ladybird Beetle (Adalia decempunctata) is a smaller size. It is a very variable species and may be difficult to differentiate from the Cream-streaked Ladybird. The external edge of the Cream-streaked Ladybird's elytra shows tow black patches (so a total of four which is the origin of its scientific name). The different forms of the Ten-spotted Ladybird Beetle only show one black patch on the external edge of the elytra. The larvae feed on aphids. Ladybird's larvae show tubercles on the upper side and on the sides of the body (dorsal scoli and sub dorsal scoli). Only larvae of the Harmonia genus show ramified scoli with two or three spines. The Cream-streaked Ladybird's larvae are black. The last instar shows orange coloured sub dorsal scoli 1 to 4 and dorsal scolus 4. |
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I have found this Cream-streaked Ladybird while it was over wintering under the litter in the garden. I have put it on an old window ledge to shoot some pictures. The two black patches on the external edge of the elytron and the typical pattern on the pronotum give a high confidence about the species identification. |
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The fact that several coniferous trees are growing in my garden may explain the observation of this Ladybird. |
André Bon March 2012
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