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28-spotted Potato Ladybird - Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (synonym Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata)

FAMILY COCCINELLIDAE

This page contains information and pictures about 28-spotted Potato Ladybird Beetles that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia
 
Body length 7-10mm
 
This ladybirds are larger than other ladybird species. They are orange in colour. Carefully counted, there were 13 black spots on each wing cover, two spots on thorax, i.e. 28-spotted in total. There were the dense short hairs on its body.
 
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Most other ladybird beetles are predators on soft body insects. This ladybird species, both larvae and adults, feed on plants. Usually the adults feed on the upper surface of leaves, while the larvae feeds on the lower surface. 
 
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Usually many of them can be found on a small plant. They are considered as pests on agricultural crops such as potatoes, pumpkin, turnips, radishes, beans and spinach. 
 
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There ladybird is slow moving. When disturbed, they escape by dropping onto the ground.  
 
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Notice the bite marks on the leaves. 
 

Eggs, Larva and Pupa

On early summer, on the plant that we found the ladybird, we also found some eggs and larvae. Both eggs and larvae only found on the bottom side of leaves. The plants are short. Larvae and eggs are usually not be seen unless you turn those leave over. 
 
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The larvae are creamy white in colour with black spiny hairs. We believed they are the 28-spotted Potato Ladybird larvae. As the adults, the larvae also feed on plants. We took two home, with some leaves of the host-plant as their food. 
 
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Larva, length 10mm           
 
Few days later, they turned into pupa. The pupa looked the same as the larvae except darker in colour. 
 
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Pupa 
 
Another week later, they became the 28-spotted Potato Ladybird adults.
 

 
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The ladybird can be found on this plant, one of the weedy Solanacea (nightshades).
 
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Reference:
1. 28 Spot Ladybird - Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2004
2. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata - 中山大学生物数字博物馆, 2005
3. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Their biology and classification - A.Ślipiński, Australian Biological Resources, 2007, p182.
4. REVIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN EPILACHNINAE (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE) C.S. LI, J.Aust.ent.Soc., 1993. Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries.  
 
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Last updated: December 04, 2011.