Spring is Here

Two Lady Beetle larvae at different stages of pupation, together on a single pine needle of the Italian Stone Pine here at The Ranch. The upper larva is still recognizable as a mature larva, and has just recently attached to the needle, probably within the last day. The lower one is nearly done pupating and clearly looks like an adult Lady Beetle. These appear to be Ashy Gray Lady Beetles, noted for their voracious appetite for consuming other insects, and appearing in very high numbers on the Stone Pine this Spring. Interestingly, the upper larva has attached itself head-downwards; perhaps finding its progress blocked, it just settled in where time and circumstance dictated.