Those are Godzilla's next two opponents. Due out later this summer.
Bruce

Oh No! Poor larva is about to get eaten. What is that other thing?!

At this point, it doesn't matter. It's dead.

Stoney

Now I'm not sure who is eating whom...

This is way more fun than it should be :D

...my money's on the lady bug larvae!

Jay

If I wasn't at work right now, I'd be cracking open a beer :p

Stoney

I'm checking every 30 min or so. I'm routing for the larvae but the other monster has an exoskeleton and those wolverine things. Again, what is it?

Stoney, I'll have a beer for you.

OK, we should be in round 4 right now, how about an update? Has anyone gotten an 8 count yet?
Bruce

Not sure what it says about me, but this is the most interesting good thing I've been dealing with for 3 weeks. They are still nose to tail. no one eating the other. Any chance they are different stages of the same bug? Mating?

Lady bug larva. GOOD THING people buy them for aphid control.

"Stoney, I'll have a beer for you."

LOL! 3 more hours to go so I can crack one and go out and check my plants for mayhem!

Stoney

Pepperdave,

I know, I have been babying them for 2 years. That is why I want to know what the other thing is. I've never had something attack them before.

Stoney, I'm sorry, I'm drinking Irish Whiskey. will what work?

Al

"Stoney, I'm sorry, I'm drinking Irish Whiskey."

I hate you :-)

Stoney

Sheesh!

Two different life stages of lady beetles. A larva and a pupa.

they are 2 stages of ladybug.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fmfzHLiGh4

Here is a link that might be useful: life cycle video

Oh, crap, I thought we were going to witness some natural carnage. Now we find it is probably just bug sex.
Bruce

Interesting, but I think Jean already said so much, to me it looks like a ladybug larva and a ladybug pupa.
Pam

Not sure if one will eat the other. As opposed to lacewing larvae.. which ARE canabilistic.

Kevin

Smokemaster - thank you for the video. I have never seen the pupa stage before. The larva did not survive. Was all shriveled up tonight when I got home. I tucked the pupa back in the plant in a shady spot. A little anticlimactic, but I learned and was entertained.

Is the pupa dormant or did it suck the guts out of the larva?

The pupa doesn't eat nor does it attack.
It is the intermediate stage between a larva and the adult.
If the pupa wasn't damaged, it will split down the back and an adult lady beetle will step out.

See this
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/convergent_lady_beetle.html

Here is a link that might be useful: lady beetle life cycle in photos

the pupa looks kinda translucent, are you sure it hasn't left? When I find them I will brush them lightly to see if they are empty. I wonder what killed the larvae, poor baby.
Pam

I don't think(correct me if I'm wrong jean001) the larva died. I think it's just ready to move onto pupal stage.

Kevin

Well, these are the combatants Thurs. evening. The larva is totally desiccated. If that is it changing into a pupa I will be amazed. I don't think the pupa has "hatched" yet. No splits on the back and seems solid.

If you look at the first 3 pics, the larva moved to the pupa. I didn't touch them. Just watched. Curious...

The big question is: Are ladybugs, at any stage, cannibalistic !?

DM,
from what I've read they are very cannibalistic. Will eat anything available. The pupa hasn't changed. I pull it out of the pot to water and then put it back. We will see.

The full cycle