Despite appearance, Asian lady beetles are beneficial to your garden
Q: Can you identify a bug on my vegetable leaves? It had six legs, but the body was spikey and black with orange going down the back. Do I need to worry about it?
A: The insect is likely a larval form of a lady beetle or ladybug. Autumn brings an abundance of multicolored Asian lady beetles. Look around for adults nearby. Despite warnings by some experts, the Asian lady beetle is still a beneficial predator to your garden, munching up soft-bodied pests like aphids, scales and mites — biological control at its best … and it’s free.
Ladybugs are beetles (Coleoptera) in the Coccinellidae family. They have an identifiable oval shape to their bodies with two sets of wings: the hardened elytra that protect more delicate hindwings, which are the source of flight. Color and the number of spots vary, but orange and red are the most notable.
It is possible to identify the difference between Asian lady beetles ( Harmonia axyridis) and ladybird beetles ( Coccinella sp. )if you are up for the challenge.
Asian lady beetles were introduced to the United States to control aphids on pecans and apples. Like other introduced species, it is now considered invasive, having spread throughout the U.S. and Canada. The primary complaint of this beetle is the tendency to congregate in large populations in the fall. They attempt to enter homes to stay warm. Usually, their presence is merely a nuisance They can smell foul if smashed. While not admired by us, it is their special superpower in their effort to remain unpalatable to predators. They can bite, which can concerning to those with an allergy.
Compared to the native lady beetle, Asian lady beetles are larger, but if you do not have them both together, the difference is hard to note. One of the identifying markers for the invasive is what appears to be a black “M” shape on the back of its head. This shape can vary from insect to insect. Lady beetle heads are usually a more solid color of white or black.
The spiny larvae is strange and often described as alligatorlike. Despite looking like a menace, they are harmless to humans.
Control of any lady beetle in the garden is not recommended since they are beneficial. Each beetle can eat up to 5,000 aphids in their short one-year lifespan.
Name that tree
Q: Can you identify a tree that was gifted to me about 40 years ago?
A: The tree is commonly referred to as camphor tree ( Cinnamomum camphorum), a subtropical evergreen native to southeast Asian countries ( Japan, China, Taiwan and northern Vietnam). The tree’s growth can exceed the estimated 40-foot-tall specimen you have and may attain a height up to 60 feet. While the habit of the tree somewhat resembles growth of our iconic and native live oak, the giveaway for identification was the elliptic leaf shape and camphorlike scent expressed after crushing the leaves. This cinnamon scent is characteristic of the laurel family (Lauraceae.) Related plants include culinary and Mediterranean native bay laurel ( Laurus nobilis) and native to southeast Texas northern spicebush ( Lindera benzoin). While the tree can make for a stately specimen in the home yard, the plant is reported to be introduced by birds into natural areas, potentially displacing local flora.
Stephen Brueggerhoff
Q: I lost an orange tree in the freeze in February. After a couple months to ensure it was dead, I cut it down at the base, low enough to mow over. I noticed shoots coming out of the trunk. Will this continue and possibly produce a tree again? The tree was about 3 years old.
A: Citrus propagation available for the commercial/retail market involves grafting a specific variety (i.e. Meyer lemon, blood orange, Persian lime, etc) onto a rootstock of another citrus variety appropriate for our soil and environment. Oftentimes the rootstock is a trifoliate, or sour orange. The graft union can be identified about 3 to 5 inches above the soil line on the trunk of the plant and expresses a kind of “ridge” as a marker. Vegetation growing below this ridge will be the rootstock and more than likely will not look like the grafted variety. It will also have long or recurved thorns and produce a sour orange. From your description, it sounds like it was cut below the graft, so what may be trying to grow is the rootstock.