Young Chessmaster - _TNY_2005
This funky-looking thing is actually a ladybird larvae. It's not the regular sevenspot species though, but instead a 14-spotted ladybird (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) which has a chequered elytra in black and yellow, somewhat reminscent of a chess board.
This is a Eurasian species which was attempted to be introduced in North America as a biological pest agent to control the Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia). This did not work out, but in the 90s, the species was accidentally introduced via European shipping instead and has been found in south-eastern Canada to the Great Lakes as well as in at least nine states in the U.S. and is still spreading - and considered an invasive species.
A shot of the adult one killing aphids can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/42125991895/
Young Chessmaster - _TNY_2005
This funky-looking thing is actually a ladybird larvae. It's not the regular sevenspot species though, but instead a 14-spotted ladybird (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) which has a chequered elytra in black and yellow, somewhat reminscent of a chess board.
This is a Eurasian species which was attempted to be introduced in North America as a biological pest agent to control the Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia). This did not work out, but in the 90s, the species was accidentally introduced via European shipping instead and has been found in south-eastern Canada to the Great Lakes as well as in at least nine states in the U.S. and is still spreading - and considered an invasive species.
A shot of the adult one killing aphids can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/42125991895/