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Convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens)

Identification

Convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) is a native species from North America. Native ladybugs do not bite nor do they go into your home. The only eat aphids and other soft bodied pest insects and insect eggs. It can be found in meadows, forests, agricultural fields, gardens and parks.

Measuring 6 mm long, adults are orange and black beetles with 12 black spots on his back. Eggs are white or yellow ovals and are laid in clusters on the undersides of your leaves. Larvae are black and orange alligator shaped. The mature larvae is about 7 mm long. Pupation occurs on the leaves, tree branch or on the structures of the greenhouse.

Ladybugs are limited and usually available from June to September.

Greenhouse vegetables : tomato, cucumber, hot pepper, sweet pepper, letuce, etc
Outdoor vegetable crops in fields, under the net and under tarp : celery, cruciferous, letuce, sweet peppers, hot peppers, potato, etc.
Orchard
Ornemental Plants
Berries (strawberry, raspberry, grapevine, etc.)
Trees and shrubs (rosebush, ppple tree, viburnum, etc.)

Melon aphid (Aphis gossypii)
Foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum solani)
Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
Potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae)
Bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi)
Other aphid species
Other soft bodied pest insect and insect eggs

A life cycle lasts 4 weeks to 2 month, depending on temperature and prey access.
Optimal conditions are a temperature of 16-28ºC and humidity of 50%.
The females lay their eggs on the leaves near aphid colonies.
Each female lays 200 eggs during her life (1-2 month)
The eggs hatch in 3-5 days.
The larval stage lasts between 15 to 20 days.
A larva can consume 30-50 aphids per day.
Pupation occurs on the leaves and adults emerge after 5-7 days.