Newly emerged ladybird?

[goosey]

I saw this ladybird this afternoon on the Equisetum in the mini pond. For about half an hour I watched as it tried to unfurl its wings, the one on the left came out at least 15 minutes before the one on the right finally made it, I did think it was stuck at first. It finally made it, and then was marching up and down the plant stretching its wings. When I went to check if it was still drying(?) them, it had gone. Was this a newly emerged ladybird? But there again the colours are bright. It seems a strange place though, on a pond plant. I have never seen this before so I was really pleased.
Here are the pictures -
1. You can see the tips of the wings. Also see how much the body undeneath looks like the pupa stage.

2. The first wing emerging.

3. Both wings are trying to get free. The wing on the left had already been fully stretched out before being brought back in several times.

4. Both wings have now emerged after alot of stretching and pulling in and out.


I suppose really it would have been better to make a collage like Arp does, instead of flooding the gallery with piccies almost the same - but, I didnt know how.

[paul m]

Originally Posted by goosey

I saw this ladybird this afternoon on the Equisetum in the mini pond. For about half an hour I watched as it tried to unfurl its wings, the one on the left came out at least 15 minutes before the one on the right finally made it, I did think it was stuck at first. It finally made it, and then was marching up and down the plant stretching its wings. When I went to check if it was still drying(?) them, it had gone. Was this a newly emerged ladybird? But there again the colours are bright. It seems a strange place though, on a pond plant. I have never seen this before so I was really pleased.

No, this is still an unusual time of year for ladybirds to emerge from pupae and, of course, one would not expect them to come out fully coloured! Two other points - if the ladybird hadn't stetched its wings within half an hour of emerging it never would..... and the actual colour of the elytral background is quite deep - much more so than the summer colour of a young seven-spot.

[Pudding4brains]

In addition to Paul's remarks: Looking at the actual wings it is a clear case of "simply" unfolding the wings as ladybirds do just before taking off - not "pumping up" fresh wings. I'll see about some pumping-pix later.

Why the beetle is taking so darn long to complete an action that would normally take about a second is beyond me though. Is it too cold? Then why is it even considering flying in the first place Or is it the first "oh my lord - I'm still soooo stiff" stretching out after a good winters sleep?? Is that even known to be a slower "stretch" than the normal ones

Somehow the photos also remind me of beetles that didn't quite make it out of the pupa "as intended" (typically happens to "late emergences" after a relatively cold - and thus long - pupa-stage). Seen some of these walking around with their elytra wide open (more or less like yours) for the rest of their lives, but mostly the elytra would look a bit more "warped" on these. (Edit: With this I'm suggesting a beetle that emerged damaged in fall and has miraculously made it through winter anyway - not one that emerged just now)

All in all, I'm betting mostly on the "cold start" theory ...
Cheers, Arp

[goosey]

Thank you both. It was a lovely sunny and warm 16 degrees - I think perhaps it could have been just having a stretch and a spot of sun bathing then, as it must have flown off with no problems - phew! The brightness of the colour did throw me, but I just couldn't think what else it could have been doing.
It was only on the 9th April I saw the first ladybirds of the year in the garden and there were three, all 7 spots.

I am very greatful it stayed round and still enough for some photo's - very obliging!

[goosey]

I have been thinking about it, and do you think it is actually possible that it fell in the pond and was drying out?

[Pudding4brains]

Originally Posted by goosey

I have been thinking about it, and do you think it is actually possible that it fell in the pond and was drying out?

That certainly sounds like a very good option

[mtngoat]

Una pregunta, pro favor . Why are they called lady'birds'? I've only known them as lady'bugs', and is there a way to diffrentiate a male from a female?

[Pudding4brains]

Originally Posted by mtngoat

Una pregunta, pro favor . Why are they called lady'birds'? I've only known them as lady'bugs', and is there a way to diffrentiate a male from a female?

Well ... I only know them as "Lieveheersbeestjes" and I think that in sort-of-kinda-dutch-speaking Belgium they're called "Kapoentjes"

The ladybird/ladybug issue is one of the glorious British-English/American-English sources for confusion

Also, here is the "pumping pix" I promised:

[paul m]

Originally Posted by mtngoat

Una pregunta, pro favor . Why are they called lady'birds'? I've only known them as lady'bugs', and is there a way to diffrentiate a male from a female?

Two or three questions there!

'Ladybug' is a USAmerican term (possibly all of America?), ''ladybird' is the English term, 'ladybeetle' is sometimes also used!
Ladybirds/ladybugs are beetles, members of the Coccinelidae family of the order Coleoptera, therefore not bugs.

In general, if you have a group of ladybirds and separate out the larger ones from the smaller then you will have separated the females from the males! Females, in most insect groups, are larger than the males.
If that's not good enough for you then you can observe them mating - amongst beetles, the one on top is the male!
If that doesn't work, then you will need to kill them and dissect the genitalia - so, unless it matters, don't worry!

[paul m]

Originally Posted by mtngoat

Una pregunta, pro favor . Why are they called lady'birds'?

I see I didn't answer the basic question ... There are a lot of web-pages about the names of *the* ladybird (the 7-spot, Coccinella septempunctata) and in Europe these go back to superstition/religion. The 'lady' involved is Mary and the patterns of the 7-spot have been linked to her. Why a 'bird'

Family Coccinellidae - Ladybird Beetles - BugGuide.Net