Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata
Twenty-four -spot ladybird ( Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata )
The Twenty-four -spot ladybird or ladybug alfalfa ( Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata ) is a beetle of the family of Ladybug ( Coccinellidae ).
Features
The beetles are three to four millimeters long, have a strongly curved and very finely hairy body. They have orange to reddish-brown wing covers with 12 black dots. On the pronotum one to three washed-out black spots are interconnected. The remaining area is colored orange. The species is very variable. In addition to the nominate Deck with red wings and many black spots also forms in which the stippling is completely absent, or it is so strong that they converge and the elytra can appear black exist. There are also copies with light dots.
Occurrence
The animals are found throughout the Palaearctic region, except in the far north. They can be found among others in dry meadows, heaths and grasslands or wherever Schmetterlingsblütler grow. They come from lower altitudes into the deeper mountain country before. There shall be two to three generations per year.
Way of life
The beetles and larvae also are among the few species of ladybugs, the polyphagous of different plants feed on. Pink Family Preference as herbal soap ( Saponaria spp.), Silene ( Silene sp. ) Catchflies ( Lychnis spp.), Carnation (Dianthus spp.) And Fabaceae such as Alfalfa (Medicago spp.) And clover (Trifolium spp.), Beyond even beets ( Baia spec.) And potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). This great damage will be done to agriculturally cultivated plants occasionally. Beetles eat small holes in the top of the sheets, without the bottom being damaged.
The females lay about 200 to 300 eggs in small groups on the leaves of forage plants. The larvae live on the underside of leaves.