Aphidecta obliterata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Larch Ladybird
A Larch Ladybird (Aphidecta obliterata)
The Larch Ladybird could easily be overlooked as a bog standard beetle due to its lack of spots. It usually displays a light brown elytra with some amount of darker brown running in a line down the centre. It can also show hints of darker spots in some cases. The dark M-shape on the otherwise light pronotum is another characteristic.
It is usually between 4-5mm in length and its legs are brown (not black).
Aphidecta obliterata, as it’s name might suggest, is ‘aphidophagus’, meaning it survives on a diet primarily of aphids and adelgids along with some scale insects.
It can be found in coniferous trees, forests and some mixed woodlands. MOst records appear to be from Larch although all my records are from Spruce of one sort or another. It can also be found in Scots Pine.
In Ireland, it appears to be widespread but not particularly common and there are a severe lack of records from the northwest of the country.
