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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Spurleg Lady Beetles
Brachiacantha (Genus)

-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)

-Subfamily Scymninae

-Tribe Brachiacanthini

-Spurleg Lady Beetles (Genus Brachiacantha)


The Brachiacantha genus, part of the Coccinellidae family, comprises small lady beetles commonly referred to as leaf-eating lady beetles. These beetles are distinctive for their relatively unique coloration and patterns compared to more familiar lady beetles, and they play a role in the ecosystem as both herbivores and predators.

Diet

  • Larvae: Primarily predatory, feeding on scale insects, aphids, insect eggs, and other small soft-bodied arthropods.

  • Adults: Predatory as well, consuming aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, mites, and other small insects.

  • Some species may also consume nectar, pollen, or honeydew when prey is scarce.

Range

  • The genus Brachiacantha is primarily distributed in North and Central America, with species occurring from Canada and the United States through Mexico and into parts of Central America.

  • Mexico contains numerous species, particularly in woodland and tropical regions.

  • Several species occur in western and southern Mexico, including Guerrero.

Habitat

  • Found in forests, woodland edges, tropical dry forests, scrublands, meadows, orchards, gardens, and agricultural landscapes.

  • Adults and larvae occur on trees, shrubs, vines, and other vegetation where their prey is present.

  • Some species are closely associated with scale-insect colonies.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in).

  • Small, rounded beetles, often brightly marked with red, orange, yellow, black, or metallic patterns.

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