Harmonia quadripunctata

Harmonia quadripunctata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Coccinellidae
Genus:	Harmonia
Species:	H. quadripunctata
Binomial name
Harmonia quadripunctata (Pontoppidan, 1763)
Synonyms
Coccinella quadripunctata Pontoppidan, 1763 Harmonia marginepunctata Schaller

Harmonia quadripunctata (the cream-streaked lady beetle or four-spot ladybird) is a species of ladybird belonging to the family Coccinellidae.

Description

Harmonia quadripunctata can reach a length of 5.5–6 millimetres (0.22–0.24 in). The colouration is very variable. Usually they are colored bright red or yellow and have eight black dots on the elytra, with basal and lateral pale stripes. Some individuals with greatly expanded dark patches appear almost completely black. Multiple spots on the body (also 16–18) are common, while the drawings on the pronotum are less variable.

On the pronotum they usually have 11 black spots on a light background, with four larger black spots in the middle. This species is quite similar to H. axyridis, but in H. quadripunctata the small distinct humps before elytral apex and the M-like black painting on the pronotum, common in the reddish coloured specimen, are absent.

The four-spot ladybird is a predator of various species of aphids such as Lachnus pinicola. The period of activity extend from March to October. These beetles over-winter in communities under the bark of various deciduous and coniferous trees such as pines and poplars.

Distribution and habitat

Harmonia quadripunctata is widespread from northern to southern Europe. In the British Isles the four-spot ladybird is found only sporadically. The species is also present in the Eastern Palaearctic ecozone and in the Near East. These ladybirds live in pine forests from the lowlands to the hills.

Subspecies

• Harmonia quadripunctata var. sordida Weise, 1879
• Harmonia quadripunctata var. nebulosa Weise, 1879
• Harmonia quadripunctata var. abieticola Weise, 1885
• Harmonia quadripunctata var. pinastri Weise, 1879
• Harmonia quadripunctata var. rustica Weise, 1879
• Harmonia quadripunctata var. multimaculata Heyden
• Harmonia quadripunctata var. sedecimpunctata (Fabricius, 1781)

Gallery

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  Variability of Harmonia quadripunctata

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  Harmonia quadripunctata – reddish form

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  Harmonia quadripunctata – yellowish form

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  Larva of Harmonia quadripunctata

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  Pupa of Harmonia quadripunctata

References

• Biolib
• Insektenbox
• Fauna Europaea
• Linnea.it