Best bush ever
I've been to the city center today without any big iNatting plans and consequently only brought my point and click camera. What a mistake!
We had a walk along the Alster and set down on a bench for a break. In a nearby bush some movement caught my eye. I am a high volume IDer in the Coccinellini Tribe (not an expert by any means though) and yet have never seen a Harmonia axyridis larva with my own eyes, in spite of having IDed hundreds, if not thousands of them. And here it was. I was delighted and frustrated (because of not having any decent equipment with me) at the same time. Within a few minutes I found multiple H.axyridis larvas, pupas, and adults, a seven spotted, a lady beetle pupa of some other species and some other insects yet to be IDed.
At home one of the assumed H. axyridis adults on closer inspection turns out to be a likely Oenopia conglobata (yet to be confirmed, lifer for me). The aforementioned non-H. axyridis larva is likely to be of the same species. Unfortunately the photo of the probable Oenopia conglobata adult is pretty much rubbish. I just thought it was yet another H. axyridis adult and didn't try very hard to get a good shot with my crappy camera. Sigh ...
Anyhow, I'll never forget this bush and surely will re-visit it on all of my future walks along the Alster.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)Observer
richyfourtytwoDescription
95% sure it's an early instar of H. axyridis, as many older ones were in the same bush.
Photos / Sounds
What
Poplar Ladybird Beetle (Oenopia conglobata)Observer
richyfourtytwoDescription
I thought maybe Oenopia conglobata, the AI agrees ...
Photos / Sounds
What
Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)Observer
richyfourtytwoDescription
I'm usually not confident in IDig the pupas in Europe, But this one was in a bush full of H. axyridis adults and larvas.
Photos / Sounds
What
Poplar Ladybird Beetle (Oenopia conglobata)Observer
richyfourtytwoDescription
There was a likely Oenopia conglobata adult in the same bush, so that's a good candidate. Also looks similar to Oenopia conglobata larvas, but I have no idea what else may look similar.
Comments
The photo you identified for me of the larva/adult was taken with a little contraption I bought on the Web for $40 called a Black Eye. It's kind of like a small clothespin that I just clip over the lens on my smart phone and can take amazing close ups. Since it's so small I almost always have it with me because it's easy to throw in my pocket.
Parabéns pelos registros! Eu também tenho um "Black Eye", que é de grande ajuda nos momentos em que somos surpreendidos.
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