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Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata

Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Psyllobora
Species:
P. vigintiduopunctata
Binomial name
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata on grass in a forest
Larva

Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata (often abbreviated to Psyllobora 22-punctata), the 22-spot ladybird, (earlier known as Thea vigintiduopunctata) is a common, 3–5 mm long ladybird native to Europe.[2] This species was originally discovered in Germany in 1874 on the leaves of Astragalus, consuming the hyphae of Erysiphe holosericea.[3] The elytra are yellow in colour with 22 black spots. The pronotum is yellow or white with 5 black spots.[4]

This is the only ladybird species in Britain and Ireland where the three life stages have very similar coloring and pattern; the pupa and larva look similar to the adult form, making them conspicuous and easier to identify.[5] Unlike most other ladybirds which feed on aphids, P. 22-punctata eats mildew — especially from umbellifers and low-growing shrubs .[6]

The 22-spot ladybird is best looked for amongst low vegetation.[7] It has occasionally been found in woodlands, on lower branches of young trees and in some coastal areas.[5] In a survey conducted between 1960 and 1965 by G.I. Savoiskaya in South-Eastern Kazakhstan, up to 500 individuals were found overwintering together in the leaf litter at the bases of birches, hawthorns and wild apple trees. These instances were noted as being found between 1000 meters and 2000 meters above sea level.[8]

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew officially recorded their first 22-spot lady bird in 1969, publishing this finding along with many other additions to their wild flora and fauna records.[9]

The hemolymph of the 22-spot ladybird beetle contains a dimeric alkaloid, psylloborine A, which has unique structural features, highlighting the species' complex chemical defenses and evolutionary adaptations.[10]

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The 22-spot ladybird has been featured on multiple postage stamps around the world.

  • 2008 - Jersey. Listed under its former name of Thea vigintiduopunctata. Part of an illustrated six stamp "Insects" release. Designed by W. Oliver.[11]
  • 2015 - Belarus. A set of four illustrated and embossed "Insects; Ladybirds" (also sometimes listed as "2015 Beetles") stamps issued. Designed by Marina Vitkovskaya and Alexander Mityanin.[12]
  • 2017 - Slovenia. A set of three "Fauna; Ladybird" stamps issued. Designed by Robert Žvokelj.[13]
  • 2017 - India. A set of four illustrated "Ladybird Beetles of India" stamps issued. Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata had a face value of 15 Indian rupee.[14]
  • 2018 - Netherlands. Part of the "Experience Nature" series, featured in a ten stamp panel in the Insects and Spiders release. Designed by Frank Janse.[15]
  • 2024 - Romania. A set of four ladybird photographic stamps issued. Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata had a face value of 5 Romanian Lei. Designed by George Ursachi.[16]

In addition it is the namesake of the Finnish indie rock band 22-Pistepirkko.

Behavior

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Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata pairing

Copulation

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Males are promiscuous. Mating occurs soon after imagining (days)

Eggs

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Eggs of 22-spot ladybird

Two weeks after mating, they begin to lay eggs. The eggs are laid under the leaves, preferably where there are plant fungi. From 20 to 100 eggs can be laid per female. Hatching occurs after five days. Unlike those of Psyllobora vigintimaculata, with which this species is often compared, the eggs of this species are slightly more yellowish. Otherwise, these eggs are generally very creamy, but not that small. The eggs of P. vigintimaculata are pale in color to slightly translucent white.

Hatching

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Newly-hatched larva of P. vigintiduopunctata

The basic color is a mix of gray and khaki with dark gray tubercules, from which dark gray hairs emerge. The head is similar in color to the tubercules, but somewhat lighter. The lower pronotal spots are slightly elongated and diffuse, unlike the smaller upper ones. The legs are also gray. Unlike most other species of the subfamily, the larvae after hatching P. vigintiduopunctata larvae do not feed on the egg chorion, but wait about 3 hours for the shells and then immediately start feeding on the plant fungus they are on. The length is 0,9 mm when hatched. The legs are lighter than the tubercules. Duration of the newly-hatched stage is 22 hours.

First instar larvae

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The first larval stage

The first instar is yellow, with the color becoming pale yellow, and the tubercules and spots changing to brownish. The pronotal spots are somewhat square-shaped and more fuzzy. The tubercule hairs are black. The abdomen is significantly elongated, and the length is 3 mm. The head is light pale, brownish, but up to the level of the eyes at the prosterior edges the brown is darkening. Towards the last abdominal segments the yellow color is so pale that it is downright beige. The last abdominal segment is dark in color (brown).

Second instar larvae

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There is a slight change in the coloration, which becomes the original one. The spots turn from brown to black, and the area around the eyes darkens. The head has darkened very slightly. The legs are a little darker brown. The tubercule hairs lighten. The length is 3 mm.

2nd instar

References

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  1. ^ Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiæ: impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii. i–ii, 1–824 pp
  2. ^ G. Bradley (2006). "22-spot ladybird". UK Safari.
  3. ^ Karataraki, K.; Goumenaki, E.; Raftakis, E.; Goutos, D.; Kapetanakis, E. (2015-11-08). "First record of the mycophagous ladybird Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata on greenhouse cucumber plants in Crete (Greece)". Entomologia Hellenica. 24 (2): 37–41. doi:10.12681/eh.11544. ISSN 2459-3885.
  4. ^ Ansari Pour A, Shakarami J. Recognition of ladybird fauna (Col.: Coccinellidae) in the alfalfa fields of Khorramabad. The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences. 2012; 22(4):939-943.
  5. ^ a b Roy, Helen; Brown, Peter (2018). Field Guide to the Ladybirds of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 78–79. ISBN 9781472935694.
  6. ^ Michael Chinery (1993). Collins Field Guide: Insects of Britain and Northern Europe. 3rd edition. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-219918-1.
  7. ^ Mathias, Dilllen (April 18, 2017). "Stronger diversity effects with increased environmental stress: A study of multitrophic interactions between oak, powdery mildew and ladybirds". PLOS ONE. 12 (4): e0176104. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0176104. PMC 5395233. PMID 28419174.
  8. ^ Savoiskaya, G.I. (1966). "Hibernation and migration of Coccinellids in South-Eastern Kazakhstan". Ecology of Aphidophagus Insects. Symposium on the Ecology of Aphidophagus Insects. Liblice, Czech Republic: ACADEMIA, publishing house of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague.
  9. ^ Shaw, H. K. Airy (1973). "Additions to the Wild Fauna and Flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". Kew Bulletin. 28 (3): 401. doi:10.2307/4108882. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  10. ^ Schröder, Frank C.; Tolasch, Till (October 1998). "Psylloborine A, a new dimeric alkaloid from a ladybird beetle". Tetrahedron. 54 (40): 12243–12248. doi:10.1016/S0040-4020(98)00753-4.
  11. ^ "2008 Insects". www.stampworld.com. Stamp World. 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Ladybugs". www.lastdodo.com. Netherlands: Last Dodo. 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Ladybugs". www.lastdodo.com. Netherlands: Last Dodo. 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Stamp: 22-spot Ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata) (India 2017)". www.touchstamps.com. TouchStamps. 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Insects and Spiders 2018". www.stampworld.com. Stamp World. 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Romania Stamps, Ladybirds". www.wopa-plus.com. WOPA+ Stamps and Coins. 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2025.