Today while peering under the leaves of a hazelnut shrub (Corylus cornuta) in search of ripening nuts, I encountered this lady bug. I believe it is a Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis. The species is native to eastern Asia and was introduced to California in the 1900s as a biological aphid control agent. It was on a cascara leaf.
I did find several green hazelnuts. Mature hazelnuts are rare as they are usually harvested by squirrels and crows before they can be found by humans.
Hazelnuts flower early in the year, in March or even February. The female and male flowers are born on the same twig. The female flowers are small with red stigmas while the more noticeable male catkins look like smaller version of alder catkins. This photo was taken on March 23, 2013.
I did find several green hazelnuts. Mature hazelnuts are rare as they are usually harvested by squirrels and crows before they can be found by humans.
Hazelnuts flower early in the year, in March or even February. The female and male flowers are born on the same twig. The female flowers are small with red stigmas while the more noticeable male catkins look like smaller version of alder catkins. This photo was taken on March 23, 2013.
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