When I say “pink spotted lady beetle”, you might be thinking of the traditional ladybug.
Perhaps you’ve never heard of this insect, and assume I’m referring to the well-known ladybug.
While the two are related, they look very, very different;
They’re not the same beetle species.
Instead, the pink spotted lady beetle is confused with a problematic pest!
Most people are surprised to learn that this spotted beetle is actually beneficial in the garden, much in the same way that the traditional lady bug is.
Even the larvae of both the lady bug and the pink spotted lady beetle can be very hard to tell apart!
In an effort to spread awareness of this amazing, underrated, undervalued beneficial insect, I ask that you share this post so that others know this wonderful creature is not fluke; it’s not a red cucumber beetle!
The Pink Spotted Lady Beetle Vs The Spotted Cucumber Beetle
Sometimes, these two insects can be found inhabiting the same plants. I find the lady beetle on far more plants in the garden, but I find them in fewer numbers than the cucumber beetle. First, let’s go over the primary visual difference between the pink spotted lady beetle and the spotted cucumber beetle:
The lady beetle is red or pink with short antennae, while the cucumber beetle is green or yellow in color with longer antennae. Both have spotting, and they otherwise look very similar.
The cucumber beetle is known to:
- Cause damage to the root systems of corn, cucurbits, and beans
- They easily spread diseases such as Fusarium Wilt, Mosaic viruses (linked to cucumber troubleshooting), and Bacterial Wilt
- Cause widespread agricultural losses, with the striped cucumber beetle being far more problematic
So, What Does the Pink Spotted Lady Beetle Do Differently?
Here are a few of the biggest differences between the behaviors of these two insects:
- The lady beetle feeds primarily on aphids and other small pests, rather than the fruits or foliage of a plant
- The larvae also feed on these same pests, rather than the root systems of grass, beans, corn, or cucurbits
- The lady beetle doesn’t spread disease through feeding
Is There Such a Thing as Pink Spotted Cucumber Beetles?
There are no pink cucumber beetles; but due to the fact that these two insects look so similar, some automatically assume that the pink lady beetle is a pest.
Please don’t kill the pink spotted lady beetle, as she is just as helpful in your garden as the famous lady bug! Below is the spotted cucumber beetle:
Some Final Thoughts….
Truthfully, even the spotted cucumber beetle is not as much of a pest as the striped cucumber beetle, which is the one you truly don’t want to deal with.
In our area, we don’t have the striped beetles; only the spotted. Thankfully, even though I see healthy populations of these spotted cucumber beetles, we don’t have a problem with any of our plants due to these pests.
(Please note: the following was drafted weeks before our recent update post, at this point our squash has gone down. We largely won the battle this year, and I have even more squash going! The scallop squash and second wave of zukes are still standing!)
Instead, we’re busy focusing on the war that rages on between us, the squash bugs, and the vine borers; which, we’re winning, by the way! If you’re keeping up with our squash struggles, I will give you a quick run down (sorry to go off topic!)
- We’ve not lost a single plant
- There are no signs of vine borer damage/infestation
- I have seen DOZENS of adult Squash Vine Borer moths
- I still haven’t caught any moths in the yellow dish trap, I keep forgetting to set it out!
- There is a very teeny tiny population of squash bugs
- I am still spraying and injecting the plants regularly with:
- Neem Oil Substitute Concentrate (it’s organic and bee safe!)
- BT (Bacillus thuringiensis)
- The squash has rewarded us handsomely
- We have Golden Zucchini, Zucchini, Yellow Crookneck Squash, and White Scallop Squash thriving
Anyways, I will leave you with this video that demonstrates how similar the lady bug and pink spotted lady beetle are, and I hope you all continue to have a wonderful day! Happy homesteading, and may your garden provide the most bountiful of bumper crops!
