coccinellid

plural coccinellids

1. biologyAny species of the ladybird family Coccinellidae.

   The above comparative account reveals coccinellids to be more voracious, with both adults and larvae predatory in nature. Also, coccinellids are more fecund than both chrysopids and syrphids and have a longer oviposition period.

   2003, G. Tripathi, Potentials Of Living Resources, page 561

   2 more examples

   If the coccinellid captures one or more aphids, the total time spent on the plant is increased by the time taken to eat the prey, which is proportional to the biomass of the prey. The numbers of aphids and coccinellids counted on the plot are shown in figure 5.05.

   1986, H. G. Andrewartha, The Ecological Web: More on the Distribution and Abundance of Animals, page 90

   Thus aphids are an important factor for coccinellids, but other issues are involved as well. The correlation between aphid and coccinellid abundance is significant, but shows such a high variance that no predictions are possible.

   1998, Wolfgang Nentwig, “Weedy Plant Species and Their Beneficial Arthropods: Potential for Manipulation in Field Crops”, in Charles Hammond Pickett, Robert Lyman Bugg, editors, Enhancing Biological Control: Habitat Management to Promote Natural Enemies, page 60