The #22spot #ladybeetle #Psyllobora #vigintiduopunctata (#Cucujiformia) is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The adults and larvae #feed #mycetophagously on #fungi, specifically on powdery #mildews. When threatened, the beetle shows #thanatosis (plays dead) and secretes a defensive secretion. M. Dillen et al. (2017) studied #multitrophic #interactions between ladybird, mildew, and #oak trees.

© #StefanFWirth Berlin 2025

Ref
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176104

Photos
© S.F. Wirth