# Ladybird — Facts, Threats & Conservation *Family Coccinellidae — roughly 6,000 described species* > Ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are beetles — around 6,000 species — whose adults and larvae are mostly predators of aphids and scale insects; spot number indicates species, not age, and the invasive harlequin ladybird is displacing natives in Europe and North America. **IUCN status:** Family page — most species unassessed; some native species declining regionally · **WARN range:** Worldwide except polar regions, Gardens, farmland, hedgerows, woodland and grassland ## Quick facts | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Described species | ~6,000 | | Adult size | 1–10 mm depending on species | | Diet | Mostly aphids and scale insects; a few herbivores | | Defence | Reflex bleeding of bitter haemolymph; warning colours | | Overwintering | Communal, in crevices, leaf litter and buildings | | Key invasive | Harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis | ## Scientific classification - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Coccinellidae - **Notable genera:** Coccinella, Adalia, Harmonia, Epilachna ## Conservation status - **Status:** Varies by species — family page - **Population:** Not applicable at family level - **Trend:** Several native species declining where the harlequin ladybird has established - **Assessed:** Assessed species-by-species; most species unassessed - **CITES:** Not listed - Native ladybird declines are documented most clearly in Europe and North America, where long-running volunteer recording schemes exist. ## Key facts: Ladybird - Ladybirds are beetles (Coleoptera), not bugs in the entomological sense. - The number of spots identifies the species — it does not indicate the ladybird's age. - Larvae look completely different from adults and often eat more aphids than the adults do. - Threatened ladybirds bleed foul-tasting haemolymph from their leg joints — reflex bleeding. - A few species are plant-eaters and are agricultural pests; most are beneficial predators. - The introduced harlequin ladybird is displacing native ladybirds across Europe and North America. ## What ladybirds actually are Coccinellidae are beetles: the bright domed shell is a pair of hardened forewings (elytra) covering the membranous flight wings beneath. Colour and spot patterns are aposematic — a warning that the beetle tastes unpleasant — and vary enormously, from the familiar red-with-black to yellow, orange, black-with-red, chequered and plain. A persistent myth holds that spots count the ladybird's age. They do not. Spot number and arrangement are species characters, fixed when the adult emerges, though they can vary within a species and fade with wear. ## Larvae: the unrecognised stage Ladybird larvae are long, segmented, often blue-grey or black with orange markings, and bristly. People routinely kill them as pests because they look nothing like the adult. Through four instars over a few weeks, a single larva can eat several hundred aphids before pupating, usually glued to a leaf. Eggs are laid in small upright clusters, typically near an aphid colony so the hatching larvae have food immediately. Some species lay infertile eggs alongside fertile ones as a food buffer for the first-hatched larvae. ## Predators, and a few pests The majority of ladybirds eat aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, mites and other soft-bodied invertebrates, which is why they are valued in orchards, allotments and glasshouses. Several species are reared commercially as biological control agents. A minority break the pattern. The subfamily Epilachninae are herbivores — the Mexican bean beetle and the 24-spot ladybird among them — and can damage crops. Others feed on mildew. 'Ladybird' is therefore a description of a family, not a guarantee of what any given species eats. ## The harlequin problem Harmonia axyridis, the harlequin or Asian ladybird, was introduced widely for aphid control from the late twentieth century. It is large, highly variable in colour, breeds fast and eats not only aphids but also the eggs and larvae of other ladybirds. It has since spread across Europe and North America and is implicated in sharp declines of native species, including the two-spot ladybird. It also carries microsporidian parasites to which it is resistant and native ladybirds are not. The episode is a standard cautionary example of biological control introduced without adequate assessment of non-target effects. ## What WARN does WARN publishes free, sourced species education across the whole of animal life. Ladybirds are a useful way into two ideas that matter well beyond insects: that a life stage people do not recognise often gets destroyed, and that species moved around the world for a good reason can still cause serious harm. If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries. ## Frequently asked questions: Ladybird ### Do a ladybird's spots show its age? No. Spot number and pattern are characteristics of the species and are fixed when the adult emerges from the pupa. A seven-spot ladybird has seven spots on its first day and its last. ### Are ladybirds beetles or bugs? Beetles. Ladybirds belong to the order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae. True bugs are the order Hemiptera, a different group entirely. ### What do ladybirds eat? Most species are predators of aphids, scale insects, mealybugs and mites, and a single ladybird may eat around 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. A minority of species are plant-eaters or mildew-feeders. ### What do ladybird larvae look like? Nothing like the adult — elongated, segmented, spiky and usually dark with orange or yellow markings, a little like a tiny alligator. They are voracious aphid predators and are frequently mistaken for pests and killed. ### Why do ladybirds gather in houses in autumn? Many species overwinter communally in sheltered, dry places, and buildings mimic the rock crevices and leaf litter they would otherwise use. They are dormant rather than breeding, and are best moved gently to a cool, sheltered outbuilding rather than a warm room. ### Where do ladybird / ladybugs live? Ladybird / Ladybugs live in Worldwide except polar regions, Gardens, farmland, hedgerows, woodland and grassland. Ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are beetles — around 6,000 species — whose adults and larvae are mostly predators of aphids and scale insects; spot number indicates species, not age, and the invasive harlequin ladybird is displacing natives in Europe and North America. ### Are ladybird / ladybugs dangerous? Ladybird / Ladybugs are not generally dangerous to people. Ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are beetles — around 6,000 species — whose adults and larvae are mostly predators of aphids and scale insects; spot number indicates species, not age, and the invasive harlequin ladybird is displacing natives in Europe and North America. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them. ### How long do ladybird / ladybugs live? A precise wild lifespan for ladybird / ladybugs is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are beetles — around 6,000 species — whose adults and larvae are mostly predators of aphids and scale insects; spot number indicates species, not age, and the invasive harlequin ladybird is displacing natives in Europe and North America. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive. ### How big is a ladybird / ladybug? A Ladybird / Ladybug is about 1–10 mm depending on species. Ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are beetles — around 6,000 species — whose adults and larvae are mostly predators of aphids and scale insects; spot number indicates species, not age, and the invasive harlequin ladybird is displacing natives in Europe and North America. ## Sources - [IUCN Red List](https://www.iucnredlist.org/) - [GBIF — Coccinellidae](https://www.gbif.org/species/7782) --- Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ladybird