Cycloneda

Cycloneda munda - Polished Lady Beetle Champaign, Illinois It's a depressing time to be a lady beetle aficionado in the midwest.  Most of the beetles I've seen around town are pesty invasives like the multi-colored lady beetle (from Asia) and the seven-spotted lady beetle (from Europe).  But one native species, Cycloneda munda, is hanging on, perhaps because it is smaller than the competition and able to subsist on smaller prey.  A couple weeks ago I photographed this pair enjoying an intimate moment on the fall goldenrod. photo details: Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens on a Canon 20D ISO…