Faunistic survey of ladybirds (Col.: Coccinellidae) in Shahrood region (Semnan province) and determination of dominant species

In a study that was carried out to identify the fauna of Coccinellidae of Shahrood in northeast of Semnan province in 2015, samples were collected from different fruit trees, shady trees and herbaceous plants during different seasons. Ladybirds also were collected in their hibernation sites including under tree barks, plant debris under the rocks and hunks and under fallen dry leaves and wall crevices. Collected ladybirds were then transferred to the laboratory and were put in glass containing 75% alcohol. Morphological characteristics and genitalia of males and females were used for identification. In total 20 coccinellid species belonging to 14 genera were identified in Shahrood region (Semnan province) that the ladybirds; coccinellaseptempunctataL. 1758, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze)1777,Oenopia conglobata(L.) 1758, Adalia bipunctata (L.) 1758 were evaluated asdominant species . List of identified coccinellids are as follows:Coccinella septempunctata L. 1758, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze)1777,Coccinella undecimpunctata L. 1758, Oenopia conglobata (L.) 1758, Oenopia onica (Olivier) 1808, Adalia bipunctata (L.) 1758,Adalia decempunctata (L.) 1758, Adalia tetraspilota Hope 1831,Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata (L.) 1758, Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata(L.) 1758, Harmonia quadripunctata (Pontoppidan) 1763, Bulaea lichatschovi Hummel 1827, Chilocorus bipustulatus L. 1758, Exochomus quadripustulatus L. 1758, Parexochomus nigromaculatus (Goeze) 1777,Clitostethus arcuatus(Rossi) 1794,