Ladybirds

It helps to know that the key to identification may lie in the markings on the Pronotum rather than the more obvious patterns on the two wing cases (the elytra).The most common species of ladybird in Britain is the seven-spot ladybird. This bright red ladybird always has seven spots and is thought to have inspired the name ladybird: "Lady" referring to the Virgin Mary (Our lady) who in early paintings is seen wearing a red cloak; the seven spots are symbolic of the seven joys and seven sorrows of Mary.

The bright colours warn potential enemies such as predators that ladybirds are not at all tasty.

Lifecycle

(of species, like seven-spot described, which have only one generation/year)

Ladybird adults spend the cold winter months in a dormant state. As the weather warms up in late February and March the adults begin to get active and search for their preferred food (early aphids for seven-spots). They mate in the spring and the females lay eggs during the spring and early summer.

This generation of adults then dies as the new generation hatches out.

The newly emerged larvae (immature ladybirds) do not look anything like their parents; they are black and grub-like. During this stage they eat lots and shed their skin three times before pupating. The pupa stage lasts about a week and from this the new adult emerges.

The new adults must eat lots to build up reserves to see them through the winter months.

Ladybird larvae

The larvae when at their final instar are about twice the size of the adult as in the seven-spot shown here, where the adult is 6-8mm long but the larva 13mm long. Aphids are tiny (varying in size from 1mm to 7mm long) in comparison to the ladybird larvae and the carnivorous species are voracious predators consuming dozens of aphids a day.

 For more excellent diagrams of ladybird larvae try this Gardener’s World article.

Food preferences

Many ladybirds are carnivorous and eat aphids (greenfly, as shown, and blackfly) or scale insects. Both aphids and scale insects are garden pests and this is why so many people love to see ladybirds especially in their gardens.

The seven-spot ladybird (shown) can eat 5000 aphids during its year-long lifespan.

While adult ladybirds will consume the whole aphid, their larvae mainly inject enzymes into their prey and suck up the partly digested contents. Surprisingly the husk of such an unlucky aphid can sometimes be seen wandering around.

Cannibalistic behaviour is well recorded, with larvae sometimes eating their smaller siblings, or attacking pupae (their older siblings).

A few ladybird species feed on plants (24-spot ladybird) or mildew (16-spot, 22-spot, and Orange ladybirds).

The harlequin ladybird, while feeding primarily on aphids, will eat other insects and even soft fruit.

Flight

The hard, brightly coloured, elytra are the ladybird’s forewings. Packed away beneath them are delicate membranous hind wings. Before it can take flight the ladybird must open the elytra and unpack its hind wings. Only then can it take off. Once airborne they can fly considerable distances. With the right weather conditions they have even crossed the Channel.

Habitat preferences

We are at an early stage of investigating what species of ladybird are present at Long Meadow and the Croft Close Set-aside, and we do not know much about what species are found in local gardens.

Based on general habitat preferences we might have:

Harlequin ladybird – the invader

The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is one of the most invasive insect species in the world. It took the harlequin ladybird less than a decade to spread throughout Britain. Recent research (using data collated through the UK Ladybird Survey) has demonstrated a possible link between arrival of the harlequin ladybird in 2004 and declines in a number of our native species.

Help with the identification of ladybirds

You can find lots of information on the UK Ladybird Survey website including a 1-page Identification Guide for Harlequin Ladybird and Common British Ladybirds and recordings of identification training webinars. You can click on the videos to see the the recordings.

Introduction to Identifying and Recording Ladybirds Part 1

Gallery

The gallery below illustrates species we have recorded so far in Histon & Impington. If you have pictures of other species to share please send them to us at hello@higreenspaces.org.