The specimen in this photograph is tentatively identified as the larva of a black-spotted Lady beetle. It looks like a miniature alligator (~ 6mm long) with 3 pairs of legs. The adults and larvae are much appreciated by farmers as biological control agents of aphids, eggs and larvae of other pest beetles on agricultural crops. The beetles go through complete metamorphosis, that is, the life-cycle goes through the egg, larva, pupa and adult stages. Read YC Wee’s post on Aphids, ladybird beetles and bottle gourd plant here.
Larva of a Black-spotted Lady Beetle (tribe Coccinellini) spotted at Tampines Eco Green on 3 April 2022. Looks very unlike adult Lady Beetles, but still a voracious hunter. Photograph by Soh Kam Yung.
On iNaturalist [ https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110263935 ]
References:
1. A love affair with Ladybirds
3.Spotted Lady Beetle (Coleomegilla maculata) https://val.vtecostudies.org/projects/lady-beetle-atlas/spotted-lady-beetle/
