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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Cactus Lady Beetle
Chilocorus cacti

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Beetles (Order Coleoptera​​)

-​Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf, and Snout Beetles (Suborder Polyphaga)

-​Cucujiform Beetles (Infraorder Cucujiformia)

-Lady, Fungus, Scavenger, and Bark Beetles (Superfamily Coccinelloidea)

-Lady Beetles (Family Coccinellidae)

-Scale-feeding Lady Beetles (Subfamily Chilocorinae)

-Tribe Chilocorini

-Genus Chilocorus

-Chilocorus cacti


Chilocorus cacti, commonly known as the cactus lady beetle, is a species of lady beetle in the Coccinellidae family. Adult cactus lady beetles are relatively small, about 5-6 mm (0.2 inches) in length. The beetle has a glossy, dark black or deep brown body with two small red or orange spots on each elytron (wing cover). The cactus lady beetle is a voracious predator, with both adults and larvae feeding on soft-bodied insects, especially mealybugs.

Diet

  • Adults and larvae: Predatory, feeding primarily on scale insects (Coccoidea), especially armoured scale insects that occur on cacti and other woody plants.

  • They also consume mealybugs and other small, soft-bodied insects when available.

  • Larvae and adults are effective predators of scale-insect colonies.

Range

  • Native to the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean.

  • Widespread throughout Mexico, including the Pacific coast of Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region.

  • It has also been introduced to various regions as a biological-control agent against scale insects.

Habitat

  • Found in tropical dry forests, thorn scrub, cactus-rich habitats, agricultural areas, orchards, gardens, and urban landscapes.

  • Commonly associated with cacti and other plants supporting scale-insect colonies.

  • Adults and larvae occur directly on infested plants.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in).

  • Body rounded and strongly convex, typically black with two reddish-orange spots on the wing covers.

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