HOW TO KNOW THE IMMATURE INSECTS 



B9a. Mandible with reduced, smooth, and usually condyliform moiar 

 structure; distinct hypopharyngeal sclerome present. 

 Fig. 285 Subfamily Coccinellinae, COCCINELLIDAE 



Fig. 285 Covergent lady beetle, 

 Hippodomio convergens Guerin: 

 a, pupa; b, larva, (U.S.D.A. ) 



The family is a fairly large one con- 

 sisting of about 3,000 species. The 

 adults are called ladybird beetles. Both 

 the adults and the larvae have the same 

 food habits. Among the few phytopha- 

 gous species the genus Ephilachna are 

 very serious pests of agricultural crops. 

 Most of them are predacious and feed 

 upon aphids, scale-insects, mites and 

 other small insects. They have been 

 utilized effectively in the biological con- 

 trol of crop pests. The larvae and 

 adults may produce a kind of protec- 

 tive fluid from the joints of the legs. 



89b. Mandible without molar structure; hypopharyngeal sclerome 

 weak or absent 90 



90a. Body armed with many long, often branched, setiierous dorsal 

 and lateral processes 91 



90b. Body without long setiierous dorsal and lateral processes. 



92 



91a. 3 ocelli on each side, cerci absent. 



Fig. 288 Subfamily Ephilachnlnae, COCCINELLIDAE 



The "black sheep" of this otherwise quite help- 

 ful family fall in this subfamily. Larvae and adults 

 unite to destroy as many bean, squash and similar, 

 plants as possible. 



Fig. 286. Mexican 

 bean beetle, Epi- 

 iochaa vorivestris 

 Mulsont. 



109 



