Maculate Ladybird

It is a rare species of ladybird which is about 8 mm long. Elytra is yellowish dark orange in color with black dots. Adult female lays eggs singly or in cluster of 21 to 52 eggs on both surfaces of leaf, or sometimes on the dead aphid body. Eggs are yellowish, and oval shaped. With the development, the eggs turned to black and later become completely black before hatching. The length of eggs are about 1.25 to 1.37 mm. The incubation period varied from 3 to 4 days. After split open the eggs at the apical portion, grubs starts to wriggled out. The neonate grubs remained on egg case for some time and then moved towards prey for feeding. First instar larva is dark greyish and covered with spiny structures all over the body. Head with shiny dark head capsule. Legs are also darker in color which are comparatively longer and articulated with oval shaped body. Body length of the first instar is about 1.75 to 2.08 mm. Duration of first instar larva varies from 1 to 2 days. Second instar larva is shining black with yellowish head capsule. Later it is turned to dark brown to black in color. Body completely covered with spiny structures. Legs are black. Two orange spots can be observed on darso-lateral side of first abdominal segment. Body ventrally flat and slightly convex dorsally. Average length of second instar is about 3.90 to 4.65 mm. …