Genre: Information/Explanation

( Two varieties : mugo , eastern and uncinata , western ) Dwarf mountain pine This shrub is a native of the mountains around the Mediterranean basin . It has been widely planted in parks and gardens throughout northern Europe and America Like most pines it is host to many phytophagous species such as the pine sawfly . It also hosts adelgids - woolly aphids which are eaten by several species of ladybird . Thus the interest on this site ! All pine ( Pinus ) species have their attractions including our native P. sylvestris . Ladybirds on pines include the eyed , striped , cream-streaked and 18-spots . They are often quite numerous but are not very commonly observed since tend to stay up in the foliage at the tops of trees . Impressive , even beautiful things they may be , but only the most dedicated entomologist would be willing or able to climb a mature pine tree ( right ) . Pinus mugo has the advantage that it is seldom over 2m tall and the non-athlete can examine branch tips with ease . This shrub in Sheffield bore five species during 2004 - the best ladybird plant in the garden . This included the conifer specialist eighteen-spot and cream-streaked ladybirds as well as more generalist species . The most numerous ladybird was the cream-streaked ladybird Harmonia quadripunctata . The sixteen-spotted form ( left ) is hardly cryptic against pine needles although perhaps more so against developing cones and branch tips ( right ) ? In sunlight , the spotless form ( below far right ) seems to fit in better ? However , the larvae and pupae ( below and below left ) seem to blend much better with their environment . This year ( 2005 ) merely a seven-spot has been seen from early September . Not moving and clearly visible - presumably it is just seeking shelter from the weather under a developing cone . Will it stay there all winter - the protection is not great ?