Mulsantina picta (Randall, 1838)[]
Arthropods (Arthropoda)----Insects (Insecta)----Beetles (Coleoptera)-----Polyphaga-----Cucjoidea----Ladybirds (Coccinellidae)----Coccinellinae----Coccinellini----Mulsantina----M. picta
20th June, 2009. Jasper NP. On Red Paintbrush.
20th June, 2009. Jasper NP.
The individual pictured here was found at Patricia Lake Bungalows on a lone Red Paintbrush. I really hate having my fingers in the photo but before I could get a natural picture I let go of the leaf suddenly realising I was pulling it back thus resulting in a elastic band like action also resulting in a flying ladybird that wasn't actually flying. This is quite similar to the Hudsonian Ladybird but has two horizontal black bars instead of the one vertical bar. M picta. is not really as common as M. hudsonica in Alberta but it has a much more widespread range across North America; the average insect watcher is most likely going to encounter the latter species unless they are on the prairies where the species featured here is apparently more prevalent.
This species is mistakenly featured as a deciduous species and the Hudsonian ladybird on conifers (apparently the reason why M. hudsonica is more common in the mountains area as well as central and northern Alberta where there are more conifers) yet both Mulsantina species have been recorded on both deciduous and coniferous types of trees.