Ladybug – Camera Critters

When my daughter and I were outside on last Sunday (during the few hours that it wasn’t raining) we saw this little creature on an oak leaf.    It is a ladybug beetle emerging from the pupa form. 
 
Many insects go through several moltings as they grow, the last one resulting in the mature insect.  Most nymphs bear some resemblance to the mature form.  I do not think this is true in the case of ladybugs except perhaps for the coloring.  They look a lot like little black alligators.  In the last molt, the nymphs curl up and attach themselves to a leaf and remain inactive in this pupa form for about three to twelve days depending on the temperature and species.

Had I known what I was looking at, I would have stayed outside and watched to see the fully emerged beetle.  This one is almost halfway emerged from the pupa which is the orange section with black spots.  I am guessing that this is the Asian Multi-colored Lady Beetle species.* And it is very likely that this little fellow will eat a few aphids till it gets to be too cold and then make his way under my house siding to spend the winter.  (Hopefully, he will stay out of my shower.)
*(Once I knew that this was a ladybug and went back out to observe more closely, it was already gone.  I recognize the nymphs and the beetles, but I’d never seen them curled up in their pupal form before.)
Well, that’s my Camera Critter post for today.  Have you photographed any interesting creatures this week?  If you’d like to share them with the rest of us, click on the button below and follow the linking instructions there.