Coccinella monticola, commonly called the mountain lady beetle or Tamarack ladybug, is a species of lady beetle native to the western United States and Canada, south-eastern Canada and New England states.[1]

Coccinella monticola
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Coccinella
Species:
C. monticola
Binomial name
Coccinella monticola
Mulsant, 1850

Description edit

This lady beetle ranges from lengths of 5.2 to 7 mm (0.20 to 0.28 in) long. It is a fairly recognizably species having two similar oval spots on either elytral, along with a single spot behind the head. The spots vary in size and roundedness. Though the forewings are generally red, they can be orange or yellow.[2] This species can be confused with Coccinella difficilis but it differs with having the first set of elytra being smaller than the second.

Range edit

Coccinella monticola can be found from the Yukon Territory south to New Mexico with Washington and Wisconsin being the berth of the range. A small population can be found from the Great Lakes to Nova Scotia and Massachusetts.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ "Species Coccinella monticola - Mountain Lady Beetle - BugGuide.Net". bugguide.net. Retrieved 2019-11-24.
  2. ^ "Mountain Lady Beetle (Coccinella monticola)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2019-11-24.
  3. ^ "Distribution Coccinella monticola". 2008-06-25.