Conifer Ladybird Scymnus suturalis
Other name: Pine Scymnus
A locally abundant and easy to find pine specialist.
Identification Length 1.5-2.0mm
A small and narrow species, one of the least ladybird like of the inconspicuous species.
Usually a dark dull chestnut colour, though sometimes paler and brighter.
Dark line running along centre of wingcases lacking contrast with the background colour in most cases (in contrast to pale form of Red-flanked Ladybird).
However some paler individuals do show more contrast and occasionally central line almost absent.
Fishers Green, Lee Valley, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Thundridge, Hertfordshire
Warren Hill, West Suffolk
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Whitewebbs, Middlesex
The underside is distinctive as it is all black, including the underside edge of each wingcase (epipeuron).
Upshire, North Essex
Thundridge, Hertfordshire
Nazeing, North Essex
Fishers Green, Lee Valley, North Essex
With Epaulet Ladybird
With Pine Ladybird
With Harlequin Ladybirds
With Cream-streaked Ladybird
With Eyed and 18-spot Ladybirds
With 18-spot Ladybird
Upshire, North Essex
Habitat
This can be one of the most abundant species once a good piece of habitat has been found.
It is a pine specialist.
It can be found on the low branches of pine plantations, especially along the edges of sunny rides.
One of the best places to search can be on small scattered pine trees in open heathland habitat. It is not unusual to find double figures in one tree in these circumstances.
Pines on heathland
Chobham Common, Surrey
Scattered pines
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Plantation Edge
Warren Hill, The Brecks, West Suffolk
Pine copse
Fishers Green, Lee Valley, North Essex
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Pine copse Upshire, North Essex
Pine copse Taunton Deane Services (N), South Somerset
Pine tree on practice golf pitch Whitewebbs, Middlesex
I occasionally find this species in gardens, including in garden wheelie bins with mixed shrub prunings, although it is never common in this habitat.
Fungus
In the autumn of 2023 I photographed two Conifer Ladybirds with a green fungus growing on them. I recognised this as Hesperomyces coccinelloides, a species complex I had previously seen quite frequently on Dot Ladybirds.
Hesperomyces coccinelloides on Conifer Ladybird
Warren Hill, West Suffolk
Hesperomyces coccinelloides
Ramparts Field, West Suffolk
Additional photographs
Whitewebbs, Middlesex
Hatfield Forest, North Essex
Taunton Deane Services (N), South Somerset
Taunton Deane Services (N), South Somerset
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
St Albans, Hertfordshire
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Upshire, North Essex
Esher Common, Surrey
Fishers Green, Lee Valley, North Essex
Fishers Green, Lee Valley, North Essex
Fishers Green, Lee valley, North Essex
