Well, talk about naming choices. Is this a ladybug, a ladybird, or a lady beetle? And what if she is actually a he? And is it walking on a Manitoba Maple branch, or a Box Elder branch? Strangely enough all of the above are correct names for this insect and this tree. Although the insect is a beetle, not a bug or a bird.
After learning about Box Elder bugs and fearing an invasion, I went out to purge my yard of Manitoba Maple saplings. As I chopped, I discovered this tiny black ladybug on one thick “trunk.” I don’t think this little fighter could take on a Box Elder bug, but it was still fun to watch it patrolling around the bark in its robotic little box-shaped paths to make sure it didn’t overlook anything tasty.
Anyway, here’s a few photos while I continue my research:
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So . . . the bottom line . . . if this is a ladybug, then there should be no damage to the ‘host’ tree, regardless of how one names it (in this case, it’s a ‘fruit cocktail’ citrus tree in Florida) . . . correct?
For this type of ladybug, yes, it should be helping the tree by eating some of the pests trying to attack the tree. They are very, very small ladybugs so they can’t consume a huge number of other insects though, unfortunately.
If you have any doubts about the identification, you could capture an insect and ask your local garden centre to confirm whether it is a pest. Most are happy to take a look.