Ladybird-beetle
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.
Chilocorus nigrita
black ladybird beetle, black lady beetle
Chilocorus nigrita is a species of ladybird beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It belongs to the genus Chilocorus, which comprises small, often dark-colored ladybirds that feed primarily on scale insects. The species is known from forested habitats and is considered a beneficial predator in natural ecosystems. Unlike some commercially used ladybird species, Chilocorus nigrita is not widely sold for biological control purposes.
Coelophora
Coelophora is a genus of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) established by Mulsant in 1850, containing approximately 14 described species distributed across Asia, Australia, and surrounding regions. Members of this genus are predominantly aphidophagous predators, with several species studied for their potential as biological control agents in agricultural systems. The genus exhibits notable colour pattern polymorphism, particularly in Coelophora inaequalis, where multiple elytral pattern morphs are controlled by alleles showing mosaic dominance. Some species have been transferred to other genera upon taxonomic revision, such as Coelophora circumusta moved to Phrynocaria.
Novius cardinalis
Vedalia beetle, cardinal ladybird
Novius cardinalis is a small ladybird beetle native to Australia, notable as one of the earliest and most successful examples of classical biological control. The species was introduced to California in 1888 to combat cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi), a devastating citrus pest, and achieved rapid, dramatic suppression of the pest population. Adults measure 2.5–4 mm with variable red and black coloration. The species has undergone multiple taxonomic revisions, most recently transferred from Rodolia to Novius in 2020.
Novius koebelei
Koebele's ladybird
Novius koebelei is a ladybird beetle native to Australia, first described by Olliff in 1892. The species exhibits notable color variation, having been described as new six times after its original description due to this variation. It has been introduced to New Zealand, where it was first recorded in Auckland in 2006, and to California for biological control purposes alongside N. cardinalis, though it is not believed to persist there now.
Scymnus iowensis
Iowa lady beetle
Scymnus iowensis, commonly known as the Iowa lady beetle, is a small species of dusky lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is native to North America and has been recorded from multiple Canadian provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick. The species was described by Thomas Casey in 1899.
Stethorus pusillus
Dot Ladybird
Stethorus pusillus is the smallest European ladybird beetle, belonging to the family Coccinellidae and subfamily Scymninae. This species has been documented as a host for the ectoparasitic fungus Hesperomyces coccinelloides, with the first Polish records representing the northernmost and easternmost occurrence of this fungus. The species has been collected from roadside willow trees and floodplain forests in Poland, and is known from various European localities including Spain and Belgium, as well as from the Azores islands.