Recent Detections of a Rare Native Lady Beetle, Coccinella novemnotata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in Minnesota

Coccinella novemnotata Herbst (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was once widespread and commonly collected in North America; however, its abundance and distribution decreased over the 1970s and 1980s. It has not been collected by recent surveys in some areas and in other areas is only rarely collected. Museum records were examined and a survey of Minnesota soybean fields was conducted via sweep-net sampling in July and August 2011. Results suggest that C. novemnotata is absent from or below the detection threshold in the majority of the state of Minnesota. However, there appears to be an area in east central Minnesota with at least sustained low, but detectable populations of C. novemnotata and it is active in agricultural crops.