Stethorus punctum

Stethorus punctum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Coccinellidae
Genus:	Stethorus
Species:	S. punctum
Binomial name
Stethorus punctum (LeConte, 1852)
Synonyms
Scymnus punctumLeConte, 1852 Stethorus brevisCasey, 1899 Stethorus picipesCasey, 1899

Stethorus punctum, known generally as the spider mite destroyer or black mite destroyer, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is found in North America. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Description

Adults reach a length of about 1.35-1.55 mm. They have a black body, while the antennae, mouthparts and legs are yellow. In subspecies picipes, the legs are black or dark brown. ^[4]

Biology

Stethorus punctum is strictly a predator of plant-feeding mites, particularly the spider mites such as the European red mite and the two-spotted spider mite, and especially the eggs. ^[5]

Subspecies

These two subspecies belong to the species Stethorus punctum:

• Stethorus punctum picipesCasey, 1899 (Idaho to British Columbia, south to southern California)
• Stethorus punctum punctum(LeConte, 1852) (southeastern Canada to North Carolina, west to Montana and Colorado)

References

1. "Stethorus punctum Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
2. "Stethorus punctum". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
3. "Stethorus punctum species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
4. Gordon, Robert D. (1985). "The Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of America north of Mexico" (PDF). Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 93 (1). The New York Entomological Society: 1–916. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
5. "Stethorus punctum". Cornell University College of Agricultire and Life Sciences. Retrieved 2024-08-14.

Further reading

• Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2007). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 4: Elateroidea - Derodontoidea - Bostrichoidea - Lymexyloidea - Cleroidea - Cucujoidea. Apollo Books. ISBN   978-8788757675.