Most of us can recognize adult lady beetles,

asian-multi-ladybug

but what about the immature stages, the larvae and pupae?

lady-beetle-larva1

lady-beetle-larva2

lady-beetle-pupa

Don’t they look bizarre? The larva in the third photograph (with the pupa) has attached itself to the leaf in preparation of becoming a pupa too.

These are the larvae and pupa of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis . I took these photos on a recent trip to upstate New York. These lady beetles were intentionally introduced to the United States in the early 1980’s.