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I found this today in the library while studying. I am very curious to know whether this particular insect has a name that I can look up and find more information about:

enter image description here

Full length is almost one centimeter. It doesn't bite or anything. It has lots of small hairs in its back (similar to cockroaches and ants) and has a tail that a white sticky substance comes out from.

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    $\begingroup$ where in the world are you? $\endgroup$
    – rg255
    Commented Jul 1, 2013 at 8:07
  • $\begingroup$ That is awesome. I have them all over a very large potted flower I have on my front porch. Which also have a lot of aphid on it so assume that is why they are there., ( to eat the aphid ) I do know ladybugs love to eat aphid so this is good as I do not like to put pesticides on my plants or gardens. And I live on the eastern side of Washington State which is very dry and has lots of little critters all over your gardens. Thanks for the info. $\endgroup$
    – user25933
    Commented Aug 25, 2016 at 2:29
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    $\begingroup$ Possible duplicate of What is this yellowish insect? $\endgroup$
    – theforestecologist ♦
    Commented Oct 17, 2018 at 2:48

1 Answer 1

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It's a larvae from a ladybird (or ladybug). Judging by the stripe pattern it is a Common Spotted Ladybird (wiki: Harmonia conformis) and from the body shape & size I'd also say 3rd instar.

The one you have photographed, and the one on flickr, are larval forms of the ladybug, just like when a catepillar becomes a butterfly, the ladybugs also have a larval stage in their life cycle which crawl around and look very different to the adult form.

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  • $\begingroup$ It is definitely this one: flickr.com/photos/burtonandy/4628261516 I just cant understand why the photo of the insect in wikipedia is totally different with this one! $\endgroup$
    – bman
    Commented Jul 1, 2013 at 8:21
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    $\begingroup$ @dane The one you have photographed and the one on flickr are larval forms of the ladybug, just like when a catepillar becomes a butterfly, the ladybugs also have larvae which crawl around and look very different to the adult form. enchantedlearning.com/subjects/insects/Ladybug.shtml $\endgroup$
    – rg255
    Commented Jul 1, 2013 at 8:24
  • $\begingroup$ Wow. I've seen these around a bunch, but I had no clue that they were ladybug larvae. That's wild! $\endgroup$
    – Wayne Werner
    Commented Aug 8, 2016 at 19:00

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