Large numbers of ladybugs often find their way into houses or other buildings in autumn looking for places to spend the winter. While most people call these insects ladybugs, other commonly used names include lady beetles and ladybird beetles. While ladybugs are beneficial predators of plant-eating insects, sometimes during the colder months, ladybugs will swarm homes to spend the winter season.
Ladybugs, also known as ladybirds or lady beetles are a beloved insect known for their bright colors and polka dot patterns. There are over 6000 species of ladybugs worldwide, inhabiting every continent except Antarctica. Ladybugs come in a huge variety of colors, spot patterns, and sizes. Some ladybugs even lack spots entirely! Keep reading to learn about the many different types of these charismatic insects.
What Makes a Bug a Ladybug?
Ladybugs belong to the beetle family Coccinellidae. To be classified as a ladybug, a beetle must have the following anatomical features:
- Hemispherical shape
- Short, clubbed antennae
- Relatively short legs
- Pronotum (plate behind head) wider than long
- Hard wing covers (elytra) covering folded wings
In addition to their iconic appearance, ladybugs are generally viewed as beneficial insects. Most species are aphid predators, helping to control crop pests. Some ladybugs do feed on plants, but these make up a minority of species.
Common Ladybug Species
Though ladybugs display incredible diversity, certain species are found nearly worldwide. Here are some of the most common ladybugs across the globe
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Seven-spotted ladybug Native to Europe, this species has seven black spots on its red wings. It was introduced to North America and is now common across the continent.
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Asian ladybug: Native to Eastern Asia, the Asian lady beetle is highly variable in color and pattern. It is an important biological control agent for aphids, but is considered a household pest.
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Convergent ladybug: This North American native has 12 black spots. Its pronotum (plate behind the head) has two white converging lines, giving this beetle its name.
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Transverse ladybug: This New World species has black bands or arcs on its red wings rather than spots. It ranges from the United States to South America.
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Two-spotted ladybug: One black spot on each wing gives this aptly named ladybug an iconic ladybug look. It has worldwide distribution across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Ladybugs by Color
Though red and black may be the classic ladybug colors, species come in a rainbow of shades. Here are some examples:
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Yellow ladybugs: Ashy gray ladybug and creamy ladybug have yellow to cream-colored wing covers.
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White ladybugs: Species like the fifteen-spotted ladybug and kidney-spotted ladybug are mostly white with black spots.
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Pink ladybugs: The pink-spotted ladybug and Verbasco ladybug have pinkish wings.
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Orange ladybugs: The California ladybug is a bright pumpkin orange hue.
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Gray ladybugs: As their name suggests, gray ladybugs like the ashy gray species have gray elytra.
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Brown ladybugs: Brown ladybugs include species like the larch ladybird and painted lady beetle.
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Blue ladybugs: Metallic blue lady beetles actually exhibit a deep iridescent blue color.
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Black ladybugs: Black ladybird beetles like Chilocorus species are black with red or orange spots.
Spotted Ladybugs
Spots are so iconic on ladybugs that spotted species make up the majority. Though the number and patterning of spots helps distinguish species, here are some examples:
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Two-spotted ladybug: As mentioned earlier, this aptly named species has just one spot per wing cover.
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Seven-spotted ladybug: Seven individual spots on its back gives this European species its common name.
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Nine-spotted ladybug: This American native exhibits four spots on each wing and one central spot where they join.
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Ten-spotted ladybug: Each wing of this North American species has five spots.
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Thirteen-spotted ladybug: There are of course 13 individual spots scattered across this beetle’s wings.
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Twenty-two spotted ladybug: Each wing of this tiny species has an array of small fused and individual spots numbering 11, equaling 22 in total.
Spotless Ladybugs
Though rarer than their spotted kin, some ladybug species lack spots entirely. They rely on their bright colors as a warning to predators. Here are some examples:
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California ladybug: This North American native has solid deep orange elytra with no markings.
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Convergent ladybug: Though it has spots as a larva, the adult has bright orange wings free of spots.
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Transverse ladybug: This ladybug’s wings feature black curved bands but no individual spots.
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Vermillion ladybug: As its name implies, this species has shiny red wings without any spots or marks.
Strikingly Patterned Ladybugs
Some ladybugs move beyond simple spots to exhibit more intricate designs and patterns on their elytra. Examples include:
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Starry ladybug: This aptly named beetle has white spots on its red wings arranged into starburst patterns.
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Tortoise ladybug: Yellow rings on a brown background give this Asian species a tortoiseshell look.
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Cream-streaked ladybug: Pale zig-zags streak across the black wings of this New World species.
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Transverse ladybug: As mentioned earlier, this ladybug has graceful black arcs and bands marking its red elytra.
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Harlequin ladybug: Some Asian lady beetles display complex harlequin-like patterns on their wings.
Tiny Ladybugs
Most ladybugs range from 1 to 10 millimeters in length. However some species are teeny-tiny! Here are a few minuscule members of the ladybug family:
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Koebele’s ladybug: This tiny ladybug only reaches 1 to 2 millimeters, among the smallest species.
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Cillaeodes ladybug: This petite species caps out at just 3 millimeters in length.
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Insular ladybug: One of the tiniest North American species, this beetle maxes out around 2.5 millimeters.
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20-spotted ladybug: Despite having numerous spots, individuals of this species only grow to about 2 millimeters long.
Large Ladybugs
At the other end of the size spectrum, some ladybugs grow relatively large compared to their kin. Some bigger species include:
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Convergent ladybug: This common North American species can reach 7 millimeters, on the larger end for a ladybug.
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7-spotted ladybug: Individuals of this familiar European species often surpass 7 millimeters.
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Great ladybug: Growing up to 10 millimeters long, this Australian species earns its name.
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LeConte’s giant ladybug: This aptly named insect can attain an immense 11 millimeters, likely the largest ladybug species.
Unusual Ladybug Habitats
Though most stick to fields and forests, some ladybugs have adapted to unique environments. Examples include:
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High altitude ladybugs: Species like the mountain ladybug and Labidosa ladybug thrive at high mountain elevations.
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Aquatic ladybugs: The aptly named waterlady ladybug spends its entire life hunting beneath the water surface.
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Cave ladybugs: Troglorrhinus species inhabit the total darkness of cave systems.
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Arboreal ladybugs: Tree-dwelling ladybugs like the eyed ladybug live in forest canopies.
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Ant nest ladybugs: Stethorus species are specialized to live within ant colonies, feeding on scale insects tended by the ants.
Beneficial Ladybugs
Most ladybugs are considered beneficial insects to humans because their larvae and adults feed voraciously on pest insects. Some examples include:
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Sevenspotted ladybug: This common species attacks aphids infesting crops and garden plants.
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Convergent ladybug: Another aphid predator, this native beetle is sold commercially for biocontrol of pests.
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Pink-spotted ladybug: Specialized to eat Colorado potato beetles, this species helps protect potato crops.
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Mexican bean beetle: Though destructive to bean crops, this ladybug helps control invasive weeds like kudzu vine.
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Asian lady beetle: Highly effective against scale insects, this introduced species is used in greenhouses worldwide.
How Are Asian Lady Beetles Different From Ladybugs?
The multicolored Asian lady beetle was imported into the US and other countries to control crop-destroying pests; however, it has since become a nuisance. Asian lady beetles look very similar to native ladybugs but differ in that they have bites that can cause allergic skin reactions. Also, when Asian lady beetles feel threatened or are crushed, they may excrete a foul-smelling, yellow liquid. This excretion isn’t dangerous but may stain walls and fabrics or trigger minor allergic reactions.
Unlike native ladybugs, Asian lady beetles often enter homes in response to a chemical attractant pheromone that encourages them to return to that site year after year. As such, if you see ladybugs congregating in or around your home in fall or winter, they are likely Asian lady beetles.
What Do Ladybugs Look Like?
Ladybug adults are about ½ inch long with a partially hidden head, 2 short antennae and two sets of wings. The outer black or red spotted wings, called the elytra, are hardened to protect the more delicate flight wings beneath. There are about 150 species of ladybugs found in the United States that largely vary in appearance. The most common ladybug wing color is red, but some ladybugs have yellow, orange, grey, black, or even pink outer wings. Some people mistakenly believe the number of spots signify the beetle’s age.
Learn 20 Types Of Ladybugs | LadyBug Types In English Language | Ladybirds | Lady Beetles
FAQ
How many types of ladybugs are there?
There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world. These much loved critters are also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the most familiar in North America is the seven-spotted ladybug, with its shiny, red-and-black body.
Are any type of ladybugs poisonous?
black: Black ladybugs with small red spots are called pine ladybirds. They are one of the more toxic ladybug species and can therefore cause allergic reactions.May 29, 2020
What kind of ladybugs are in my house?
Ladybug. Unlike the native ladybug, the Asian species (Harmonia axyridis) likes to aggregate where it’s warm (like inside your home) to overwinter. The Asian lady beetles can be identified by a small M or W, depending on how you look at them, on the shield-like section behind their head.
What bugs are mistaken for ladybugs?
Ladybug look-alikes that can be destructive to your garden, include the Mexican bean beetle, that feeds on bean plants and the squash lady beetle, that feeds on summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, bean, and pea plants. Other look-alikes are clerid beetles, scarlet lily beetles, and Colorado potato beetles.
Are there other bugs that look like ladybugs?
There are actually some other bugs or beetles that look like ladybugs but aren’t classified as ladybugs. Some of these fake ladybugs are the clerid beetle, scarlet lily beetle, and Colorado potato beetle. There are over 6,000 species of ladybugs (ladybirds) worldwide. There are about 150 species of ladybugs in the United States.
What are some examples of ladybugs?
Mealybug ladybug, fungus-eating ladybug, and leaf-eating ladybug are also examples of the most commonly found species of the ladybug. These beetles are so tiny and so identical that it is nearly impossible for a layman to tell which one is male and which one is female.