Coccinellid
Guides
Adalia bipunctata
Two-spotted Lady Beetle, Two-spot Ladybird, Two-spotted Ladybug
Adalia bipunctata is a small predatory ladybird beetle native to the Holarctic region, with populations in Europe, North America, and Central Asia. It is one of the most extensively studied ladybird species due to its complex color polymorphism and ecological interactions. The species exhibits remarkable variation in elytral coloration, ranging from the classic red-with-two-black-spots form to multiple melanistic variants. Populations show geographic variation in life history: European populations are typically multivoltine, while some introduced populations (e.g., Japan) exhibit univoltine cycles with extended adult inactivity. The species has declined significantly in parts of its native North American range but remains common in western and central Europe. It is frequently employed as a biological control agent against aphid pests in greenhouses and agricultural systems.
Coccinella septempunctata
seven-spot ladybird, seven-spotted ladybug, seven-spotted lady beetle, C-7
Coccinella septempunctata is a predatory lady beetle native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, now widely established in North America following intentional introduction for biological control. Adults measure 6.5–7.8 mm with distinctive red elytra bearing seven black spots. The species is among the most extensively studied coccinellids due to its importance in aphid biocontrol and its invasive success in new ranges. It completes up to five generations annually with a six-week development cycle from egg to adult.
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trifasciata
three-banded lady beetle, three-banded ladybug
Coccinella trifasciata, the three-banded lady beetle, is a widely distributed species in the family Coccinellidae. It occurs across North America, Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), Oceania, and Southern Asia. The species includes three recognized subspecies, with C. t. perplexa found from Labrador to New Jersey and west to Alaska and California, and C. t. subversa ranging from British Columbia to California. Adults of the subspecies C. t. perplexa have been documented as hosts for the parasitoid wasp Perilitus coccinellae in Ontario, Canada.
Coleomegilla maculata strenua
12-spotted lady beetle, pink-spotted lady beetle
Coleomegilla maculata strenua is a subspecies of the 12-spotted lady beetle, a native North American coccinellid. Adults display a distinctive pink to reddish coloration with six black spots on each elytron. This subspecies is part of a species complex known for unusual dietary habits among lady beetles, including substantial consumption of plant pollen alongside typical predatory feeding.
Scymnus creperus
dusky lady beetle
Scymnus creperus is a small dusky lady beetle (Coccinellidae: Scymnini) native to North America. Adults measure 1.76–2.68 mm and display distinctive coloration: yellowish-red head and pronotum with a small black spot, and black elytra with red apices. The species is notable for its larval defense mechanism—secretion of a sticky white wax from integument pores that reduces aggression by the imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta. It preys on aphids and has been documented feeding on the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi.