Eat Your Veggies, Pt. 2 - _TNY_4896
As I was crawling through the undergrowth near the Nedre Dammen pond in Stensjödal in Tyresta National Park I noticed something very small - and very yellow! To my delight I realized it was a female 22-spot ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata).
These are only around 4 mm in length so I was fortunate I hade the Canon MP-E65mm on my camera and got this shot and a couple more at 3.3:1 magnification.
The way you can tell which sex it is, is quite easy The males have a white pronotum (the "middle part of the carapace") while females like this one are all yellow.
Unlike most other ladybirds who are predators and like to feed on aphids, these guys (and girls) are actually vegetarian and eat milldew.
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/49939464937/
Eat Your Veggies, Pt. 2 - _TNY_4896
As I was crawling through the undergrowth near the Nedre Dammen pond in Stensjödal in Tyresta National Park I noticed something very small - and very yellow! To my delight I realized it was a female 22-spot ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata).
These are only around 4 mm in length so I was fortunate I hade the Canon MP-E65mm on my camera and got this shot and a couple more at 3.3:1 magnification.
The way you can tell which sex it is, is quite easy The males have a white pronotum (the "middle part of the carapace") while females like this one are all yellow.
Unlike most other ladybirds who are predators and like to feed on aphids, these guys (and girls) are actually vegetarian and eat milldew.
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/49939464937/