Guide to

ladybirds
of the
British
Isles
1. Seven-spot ladybird
Coccinella 7-punctata Special edition 2. Scarce seven-spot ladybird
Coccinella magnifica

3b. f. quadrimaculata
3a. f. typica 3b. f. sexpustulata
3. Two-spot ladybird Adalia 2-punctata

4a. f. conspicua There are over 4b. f. spectabilis

100 colour
For this special edition © FSC & BBC Breathing Places 2010

pattern
varieties of the
harlequin
ladybird,
four of which
are shown

4c. f. succinea 4d. f. axyridis

4. Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis

generalists (and myrmecophile)

 Large illustrations are at 6x life size; small illustrations are at approximately life size

5a. f. decempunctata 5b. f. decempustulatus 5c. f. bimaculata

5. Ten-spot ladybird Adalia 10-punctata

6. Cream-spot ladybird 7. Orange ladybird 8. Kidney-spot ladybird

Calvia 14-guttata Halyzia 16-guttata Chilocorus renipustulatus

on deciduous trees
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10a. f. typica 10b. f. areata

9. Heather ladybird
Chilocorus 2-pustulatus
10. Hieroglyphic ladybird Coccinella hieroglyphica

on heather heathland
 11a. (with rings) 11b. (without rings)

11. Eyed ladybird Anatis ocellata

13. Eighteen-spot ladybird

12a. (four-spotted form) 12b. (sixteen-spotted form) Myrrha 18-guttata

12. Cream-streaked ladybird Harmonia 4-punctata

For this special edition © FSC & BBC Breathing Places 2010

14. Larch ladybird 15. Pine ladybird

Aphidecta obliterata Exochomus 4-pustulatus

16. Striped ladybird

Myzia oblongoguttata

on conifer trees
 19a. (black on yellow) 19b. (yellow on black)
17. Adonis’ ladybird 18. Eleven-spot ladybird
Hippodamia variegata Coccinella 11-punctata
19. Fourteen-spot ladybird Propylea 14-punctata

20. Sixteen-spot ladybird 21. Twentytwo-spot ladybird 22. Twentyfour-spot ladybird

Tytthaspis 16-punctata Thea 22-punctata Subcoccinella 24-punctata

23c. (side view)

23a. (summer) 23b. (winter)

23. Water ladybird Anisosticta 19-punctata

on grass and meadowland

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24. Thirteen-spot ladybird 25. Five-spot ladybird 26. Bryony ladybird

Hippodamia 13-punctata Coccinella 5-punctata Epilachna argus

extinct or rare
 Life cycle
Guide to
ladybirds
of the British Isles

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Life cycle of seven-spot ladybird

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Text by Michael Majerus, Helen Roy, Peter

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Brown and Remy Ware ber
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Illustrations by Chris Shields Se p
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Introduction

A u gu

M
st

ay
Ladybirds are insects within the order Coleoptera

June
July
(beetles). They have their own family within the
beetle order: Coccinellidae (meaning ‘clad in scarlet’).
Ladybirds, like all beetles, have biting mouthparts
and hard wing cases (elytra). There are 46 coccinellid
species in the UK, and over 5000 described species
worldwide. Of the UK species, 26 are recognisable as
ladybirds and are shown in this chart. Some ladybirds, such as the seven-spot, have a single
generation each year. Others, such as the harlequin,
head
may have two or more generations, as long as
temperatures remain high and food is available.
antenna
Eggs. Most female ladybirds lay
Eyed ladybird egg batch on pine

their eggs in batches, although a

eye few, such as the heather ladybird,
pronotum lay eggs singly or in twos or
threes. Most ladybird eggs are
yellow or orange in colour and
elytron take 4-10 days to hatch,
central line depending on temperature.
femur
All diagrams: Remy Ware. All photos: Michael Majerus

tibia Larvae. Newly-hatched larvae eat

any unhatched eggs in their batch
tarsus and then disperse to find food.
tarsal claw
Orange ladybird larva

Larvae vary in colour and pattern.

Many are grey, but some are
Anatomy of a ladybird: upperside yellow, buff or brown. Most have
a pattern of pale spots on some of
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antenna the abdominal segments. The

larvae pass through four instars, a
process which takes 3-6 weeks.
eye

Pupae. These vary in colour, from

Orange ladybird pupa

off-white, through various shades

of yellow, orange, grey or brown
to black. Many have spots or
femur patterns on the main background
colour. The pupal stage lasts 7-10
tibia days.
tarsus
Adult. The emerging adult has yellow and
tarsal claw
unpatterned elytra. Blood is pumped into the elytra
and wings to expand them, and the colour patterns
Anatomy of a ladybird: underside develop over the first hours of adult life.
Species Status Colour pattern Habitat Overwintering Distribution
site

1. Seven-spot ladybird G Red with 0-9 (7) black spots Diverse, usually in Diverse, usually Widespread
Coccinella 7-punctata herbaceous layer low down in Britain

2. Scarce seven-spot  Red with 5-11 (7) black spots A myrmecophile; Foliage and litter Local in SE;
ladybird found close to near Formica nests rare in N & W
Coccinella magnifica Formica ant nests

3. Two-spot ladybird G 3a: red with 0-16 (2) black spots, Diverse Aggregates indoors Widespread in
Adalia 2-punctata sometimes fused. (e.g. around window Britain; rare at
3b: black with 0-6 (4) red spots. frames) and outdoors high altitude
3c: black with 0-6 (6) red spots

4. Harlequin ladybird
4a: black with 2 orange / red spots Diverse Aggregates on Recent
Harmonia axyridis 4b: black with 4 orange / red spots stone, wood or in immigrant; SE
4c: orange / red with with 0-21 (16) cracks in building England; scarce
black spots walls elsewhere;
4d: orange / red with black grid spreading and
pattern increasing

5. Ten-spot ladybird G 5a & 5b Cream, yellow, orange, On deciduous Leaf litter and Widespread in
Adalia 10-punctata red or light brown: 5a: with red, trees plant debris close Britain
0-15 (10) maroon, brown or black to the ground
spots; 5b: with red, maroon, brown
or black grid pattern; 5c: maroon,
brown or black with 2 yellow,
orange or red spots

6. Cream-spot ladybird G Maroon-brown with Deciduous trees Leaf litter Widespread in

Calvia 14-guttata 14 white / cream spots Britain

7. Orange ladybird G Orange with 12-16 (16) On deciduous In leaf litter or on Widespread in
Halyzia 16-guttata white spots trees, particularly trunks / under S & C England &
sycamore and ash branches Wales; more local
in N; increasing

8. Kidney-spot ladybird
Black with 2 large Deciduous trees: Near base of host Widespread in
Chilocorus renipustulatus orange / red spots willows, poplars, trees, more rarely on England; local or
ash and birch the trees scarce elsewhere

9. Heather ladybird I Black with 2-6 (6) red spots in a Heather heathland, In litter or in Local in England
Chilocorus 2-pustulatus central transverse line on deciduous trees evergreen foliage and Wales;
(e.g. ash) (e.g. gorse, conifers) declining

10. Hieroglyphic ladybird I 10a: brown with 0-7 (5) black Heather heathland In litter under Widespread but
Coccinella hieroglyphica spots, stripes and/or patches. heather local; declining
10b: black + or - brown patches

11. Eyed ladybird
Burgundy red with 0-23 (15) On conifers, In soil or moss Widespread in
Anatis ocellata black spots, with (11a) or without particularly mature under pines Britain
(11b) pale rings around spots Scots pine

For this special edition © FSC & BBC Breathing Places 2010

12. Cream-streaked Yellow, orange or pink with 4-20 On needled In or under conifer Widespread in
ladybird (12a: 4, 12b: 16) black spots and conifers bark; more rarely England; local
Harmonia 4-punctata cream streaking amongst foliage elsewhere;
spreading

13. Eighteen-spot I Maroon with 14-18 (18) cream Mature Scots pine, In cracks in pine bark Widespread in
ladybird spots; spots often fused most often high up S & C England &
Myrrha 18-guttata Wales; scarce in N

14. Larch ladybird
Brown with 0-10 (0) black oblique On needled In cracks in conifer Widespread in
Aphidecta obliterata dash shapes and occasionally conifers, particularly bark Britain
black spots firs and larch

15. Pine ladybird G Black with 2-4 (4) red spots On trees, particularly In foliage of Widespread in S
Exochomus 4-pustulatus needled conifers, evergreen trees & C England; more
ash and birches and shrubs local to N & W

Status codes for Britain: G widespread and common
locally common I scattered  scarce  rare N currently extinct
The figures in brackets refer to the modal (i.e. commonest) number of spots or other markings on the elytra
 Species Status Colour pattern Habitat Overwintering Distribution
site

16. Striped ladybird
Chestnut / brown with 0-15 (13) On mature Scots In soil or moss Widespread in
Myzia oblongoguttata cream stripes and spots pine below Scots pine Britain

17. Adonis’ ladybird I Red with 3-15 (7) black spots Diverse on low In litter and dead Local in England
Hippodamia variegata plants and shrubs plant stems & Wales;
increasing

18. Eleven-spot ladybird G Red with 7-11 (11) black spots; Diverse on In litter and dead Widespread in
Coccinella 11-punctata sometimes some spots fused herbaceous plants plant stems England & Wales;
local in Scotland

19. Fourteen-spot G 19a: yellow with 4-14 (14) black Diverse Diverse but most Widespread in
ladybird spots; spots often fused. often near ground England & Wales;
Propylea 14-punctata 19b: black with 8-12 (12) yellow spots scarce in Scotland

20. Sixteen-spot ladybird G Creamy-buff with 13-18 (16) black Grasslands Aggregates on Widespread in
Tytthaspis 16-punctata spots; black central line; with three grasses, gorse, S of Britain;
lateral spots on each elytron fence posts, etc. scarce further N;
usually fused

21. Twentytwo-spot G Yellow with 20-22 (22) discrete Meadows and In litter or grass Widespread in
ladybird black spots on herbaceous tussocks at Britain to Lancs
Thea 22-punctata plants, particularly ground level and Yorks; scarce
hogweed further N

22. Twentyfour-spot G Russet with 0-24 (20) black spots; Low growing In litter or grass Widespread in
ladybird spots often fused; elytra hairy vegetation tussocks, usually S half of Britain;
Subcoccinella close to ground local in N; scarce
24-punctata in Scotland

23. Water ladybird
Buff (late summer through to early On reeds, reed Between dead Widespread in
Anisosticta 19-punctata spring), to red (spring and early mace and other reed leaves S & C England;
summer) with 15-21 (19) black waterside and stems scarce in N and
spots vegetation Wales

24. Thirteen-spot N Red with 7-15 (13) black spots Vegetation in Unknown in Extinct: colonies
ladybird marshes or by Britain arise by
Hippodamia 13-punctata water immigration

25. Five-spot ladybird  Red with 5-9 (5) black spots On unstable Under shingle stones Local in W Wales,
Coccinella 5-punctata river shingles or on foliage close to and the Spey
river shingles Valley in Scotland

26. Bryony ladybird  Orange with 11 black spots; On white bryony In litter and ivy Recent
Epilachna argus elytra hairy immigrant; local
in S & W London;
spreading

Identifying ladybirds • The underside and legs of the two-spot are black;
For this special edition © FSC & BBC Breathing Places 2010

the underside of the ten-spot is partly orange or

Many British ladybirds are easy to identify from brown, and its legs are orange or brown.
their colour, pattern and size. Seven (the eyed, larch,
The following points can help separate the seven-spot
striped, cream-streaked, hieroglyphic, fourteen-spot
and scarce seven-spot:
and Adonis’ ladybird), although somewhat variable,
should also be identifiable from the illustrations • The middle spot on each elytron of the scarce
overleaf and the colour pattern notes in the table seven-spot is larger than that of the seven-spot
above. Five species are more problematic. • The scarce seven-spot is rather more dome-shaped
than the seven-spot
Two-spot, ten-spot and harlequin ladybirds are difficult
because they are so incredibly variable in colour and • The clearest distinction is that the scarce seven-
pattern so that it is not easy to give a definitive spot has a white triangular mark at the edge of the
description of them. The most common forms of ventral surface (underside) under both the middle
each species are shown overleaf. For individuals of and hind legs. The seven-spot has these marks
these species that are difficult to identify: only under the middle pair of legs.
• The harlequin ladybird is larger (>5.5mm) than
the other two
 Feeding relationships This special edition of the Field
Studies Council’s Guide to the
The dietary requirements of ladybirds are diverse but most species are
Ladybirds of the British Isles has
quite specialist in their feeding habits. Many ladybirds are predatory,
feeding on aphids (greenfly) or coccids (scale insects), but others feed been created by the Field
on mildew (sixteen-spot, twentytwo-spot and orange ladybirds) and Studies Council (FSC) for BBC
two species feed on plants (twentyfour-spot and bryony ladybirds). Breathing Places.
Ladybirds display bright colours and exude reflex blood (foul tasting
yellow fluid) when disturbed. This defence mechanism is very
effective and only a few predators and parasites are associated with
ladybirds including: birds that feed in flight, parasitoid wasps, mites,
roundworms, fungal diseases and male-killing bacteria.

The harlequin ladybird

The harlequin ladybird originated in Asia but has been used as a biological BBC Breathing Places
control agent in the USA and mainland Europe. In 2004 the harlequin encourages people to Do One
ladybird arrived in England, at first being found mainly in the southeast,
Thing for Nature on their
having crossed the English Channel. It is now extending its range and is
predicted to spread to most parts of the UK within a few years. doorsteps. The campaign
The harlequin ladybird has been
involves a wide range of partner
eating a seven-spot larva

described as the most invasive ladybird organisations in the UK who

Two harlequin larvae

species on Earth and poses a serious contribute their expertise and

threat to biodiversity. It is a large and their time to help community
voracious species and has the potential to
out-compete native ladybirds and other groups, schools and the general
insects for food. It is a more generalist public to make a difference.
feeder than most native ladybirds and can
turn to other food sources if aphids and coccids are limited, including
the eggs and larvae of other insects (such as ladybirds and butterflies).
Many native ladybirds must undergo a period of winter dormancy
before they can reproduce. In contrast, harlequin ladybirds can
reproduce continuously through the spring, summer and even
autumn, enabling populations to increase rapidly.

The FSC (Field Studies Council)

Which ladybirds are near you?
is an independent educational
BBC Breathing Places is getting together with the UK Ladybird Survey to charity committed to raising
encourage everyone to Do One Thing for science by recording the ladybirds
awareness about the natural
that they see. It is very easy to take part. All Breathing Places Schools receive
an activity pack, including this guide, for surveying school grounds and world. FSC is a BBC Breathing
learning about ladybirds. To become a Breathing Places School go to the Places partner.
web address below and follow the link to schools. For everyone else just go www.field-studies-council.org
to the UK Ladybird Survey web site to find out how you can take part.

Hints and tips

• Look around broad-leafed plants where the ladybirds find food
• Some ladybirds look alike but their size might be the key to identification
• In some parts of the UK you may be first to record a harlequin ladybird

Further information
BBC Breathing Places www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces
UK Ladybird Survey www.ladybird-survey.org
Printed using
For this special edition © FSC & BBC 2010. Images by Chris Shields. vegetable oil
based inks