There are many different species of ladybirds but all can be distinguished by their round or oval backs which are usually brightly coloured and patterned with spots, their short, club like antennae and their broad pronotum (the bit between the head and wingcases). The most recognisable is the common 7 spot ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata) which is an orangey red colour with 7 black spots forming a symmetrical pattern on its back.
Larvae: Often longer or thinner bodies than adults and usually dark in colour with lighter spots on their segmented backs.
Latin: Family – Coccinellidae
Size: 1-10mm long (depending on the species)
Overview
Ladybirds are spotty little beetles which come in all sorts of colours, from striking reds to pallid yellows. They can have as many as 24 spots on their back and many species can be distinguished just by this number. Adults have a long sleep over winter but come out of hibernation in March and remain active throughout the spring and into autumn. After a few months of feeding on aphids (or leaves in some species), they will mate and create the next year’s generation.
The ladybird’s bright colours make it an obvious target for predators but they have a nasty trick up their sleeve to protect themselves. They produce a disgusting, toxic yellow liquid which is enough to make most would be predators steer clear of an otherwise tasty treat. Unfortunately they must still be a bit wary as swifts and swallows have developed an immunity to the defensive chemical.
In the garden
Known as the ‘gardener’s friend’, they play an important part in garden maintenance as they devour hundreds of aphids and other garden pests. As soon as the larvae hatch, they will begin to eat aphids at an alarming rate, each ladybird accounting for hundreds! As long as your garden has a healthy number of plants and trees for aphids to feed on, ladybirds will be there to make the most of these walking meals.
Most ladybird species are stable and healthy but the Harlequin Ladybird, which usually makes its home in East Asia, has recently spread to the UK and started to push other ladybirds out of their own habitats. The Harlequin species is very successful and poses a threat to many of our native ladybirds.
Did you know?
Before the invention of painkillers, some people believed that eating ladybirds would cure toothache (Yuck!). Fortunately, nowadays we have paracetamol!