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Posted by Ian W (U8604472) on Friday, 9th July 2010
I have 2 bugs apparently living happily side by side on my bean plants. The first is similar to a ladybird although not quite what you might expect. The second is the one I'd like to identify - it has a black underbody with purple upper body and a bright yellow/orange stripe down each side of its back. It's longer than a ladybird and less rounded. I took a piccie with my phone but it's too poor to use. Any thoughts anyone please.
I think it is quite possibly a ladybird larvae.
Could be although "mine" don't appear to be so spikey and are a real strong purple colour. I'll take another look though.
If you google images for ladybird larvae you will find a variety of colours and some less spikey.
it could also be Lacewing larvae as they eat Aphids as well. Google this name and see if it fits your description.
shazza
My ladybird larvae look just like the ones you describe, such a surprise whn you first realise what they are - how can such a pretty little beetle have such ferocious looking childre!!? I guess it is a kind of deterent to birds which would eat them, look at me, I'm prickly and scary?
Anyway, it is quite likely to be those, nice, you'll have lots of ladybirds - we have huge numbers at present in spite of the dryness.
I've decided it's the Harlequin ladybird larvae so it's quite reassuring. I'm assuming the large number of them I've got is down to all those juicy blackfly they had last month.
Could you please issue them with train tickets to my place - the black fly have arrived on my broad beans - which indeed they were bound to do eventually - and if your ladybird larvae have eaten all yours, there are plenty here for them!!
We have lots of adult ladybirds, and some larvae, but not enough to get rid of the hordes of blackfly which arrived on the beans this week - I knew it had to come and really we have done well as harvesting has begun and we have been blackfly clear up until now.
Well there was the answer on last nights Gardener's World - it was the ladybird lavae exactly the same as the one Joe took out of the jar. Strange how they are bigger than the ladybird they transform into. What's also interesting is the variety of ladybirds on my plot. I've got ones with 4 spots, some with lots, then I've got some black ones with red spots and I'm sure I've seen a yellow one with black spots. And they're still happily reproducing.
Harliquin ladybirds are eating our native ladybirds. Dare I say they are a PEST. It would be so helpful if posters gave a general location so that those of us in other areas are aware when they are approaching.
There is a website -Harlequin Ladybird Survey-asking people to record and send in sightings or specimens of the Harlequin ladybird which is threatening our native species.
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