Lady or Ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) represent a large and diverse group of beetles found worldwide. Approximately six thousand (6,000) ladybird species are known globally (reference). In eastern North America, there are 60 genera containing approximately 480 species (Evans, 2014). Most species are predatory, feeding on life stages of other insects, such as aphids, caterpillars, and insect eggs, as well as plant-feeding mites, and thus provide an essential ecosystem service for humans in terms of pest control (Obrycki and Kring, 1998). Thus, this group of beetles is important for the reduction of arthropod pest populations on a variety of fruit, vegetable, forage, field crops, forests, and on landscape and ornamental plants.
Dr. Daniel Pavuk
First Advisor Department
Albaaj, Mohammed, "A Study on the Biodiversity of Ladybird Beetles in Soybean Agroecosystems of Northwestern Ohio" (2017). Honors Projects. 218.