About Scymnus suturalis Thunberg, 1795
Scymnus suturalis is a species of beetle belonging to the family Coccinellidae. Its native range covers the Palearctic region, including Europe, North Africa, European Russia, the Caucasus, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Transcaucasia, Western Asia, and Mongolia; it has been introduced to the United States in North America. This is a tiny ladybird, with a body length between 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm. Its elytra are covered in long, mostly backward-pointing hairs, and are colored red or chestnut brown, usually with a dark brown mark that starts behind the scutellum and extends along the midline of the elytra. The species is common. In Central Europe, it is a forest-dwelling species that feeds on Coccoidea, and is specifically associated with the scale insect Chionaspis salicis. Scymnus suturalis can be found in conifer forests (especially forests of Pinus sylvestris and other Pinus species), mixed forests, marshes, gardens, and parks. In Russia and Poland, it feeds on Adelgidae and other aphids that live on Pinus; less frequently, it can be found feeding on Betula pendula, other Betula species, and Ligustrum vulgare. It has also been found under loose bark flakes, in moss growing on tree trunks, and in the litter layer under coniferous trees.
