This unique species of lady beetle has a descriptive, but gruesome, common name. Being all black in color, except for two red dots in the center of each wing cover (elytra), they certainly look like they’ve been “twice-stabbed.” While many ladybugs feed on aphids, the twice-stabbed focuses on scale insects and is an effective predator of pine needle scale insects. They are found throughout the United States, except west of the Sierra Nevada.
Photo by: Karen Weaver on 4/17/21 in Missoula, MT