Coccinella

Linnaeus, 1758

ladybird, ladybug, lady beetle

Coccinella is a of recognized by their convex, hemispherical bodies and typically red or orange marked with black spots or . The genus contains approximately 94 and occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere, with greater diversity in Eurasia than North America. Several species, particularly C. septempunctata, are valued as agents due to their predatory habits.

Coccinella septempunctata by (c) Gianni Del Bufalo bygdb, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gianni Del Bufalo bygdb. Used under a CC-BY license.

Coccinella alta by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.

Coccinella californica by no rights reserved, uploaded by Randal. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Coccinella: //ˌkɒksɪˈnɛlə//

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Images

Distribution

Northern Hemisphere; more diverse in Eurasia than North America, where only 11 are

Diet

and are predatory, feeding primarily on ; some have been observed consuming other small soft-bodied

Life Cycle

through four ; feeding rate increases progressively from first to fourth instar

Behavior

Both and actively hunt ; adults may aggregate during

Ecological Role

of and other small herbivorous ; contributes to of agricultural pests

Human Relevance

Used as agents in agriculture; C. septempunctata and other deliberately for pest management; subject of citizen science (e.g., Lost Project)

Similar Taxa

Harmonia axyridisMulticolored Asian ; highly variable spot patterns and pronotal markings can resemble Coccinella , but rarely matches C. septempunctata or C. novemnotata spot arrangements precisely; often has more on the than Coccinella species
Coccinella septempunctataSeven-spotted ; European with pronotal 'lapels' only at corners, not full white collar; often brighter orange-red than C. novemnotata
Coccinella novemnotataNine-spotted ; North with full pronotal collar from corner to corner; usually smaller and more creamy orange than C. septempunctata; extra black spot near elytral 'shoulder' often vague or absent
Coccinella transversoguttataTransverse ; spots on near connected to form horizontal black bar between 'shoulders'