Anatis mali

Anatis mali (also known as the eye-spotted lady beetle), is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae.^[1][2][3] It is found in North America,^[2] where it has been recorded from Ontario to British Columbia, south to Virginia and Oregon.

Anatis mali
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Coccinellidae
Genus:	Anatis
Species:	A. mali
Binomial name
Anatis mali (Say, 1825)
Synonyms
Coccinella mali Say, 1824 Anatis borealis Belicek, 1976 Anatis signaticollis Mulsant, 1850

Description

Adults reach a length of about 7.3-10 mm. Adults are yellow to brownish red with black markings.^[4]

Biology

Anatis mali is a crucial specialized aphid predator in the balsam tree plantation system, a rotation lasting about ten years for balsam trees to grow as Christmas trees under local temperature conditions. There is significant potential for using Anatis mali in biological management on pre-harvest trees where visual damage maintenance is not essential. On average, reared A. mali required 296 aphids to complete larval development and pupate.^[5]