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Ladybugs are one of those insects that crawl out when it is cloudy or rainy, and although they look admirable, some species can be a threat and a reason to worry if you have them in or around your home or garden.
Interestingly, most people believe that the red ladybug with black spotted color is the only type of ladybug out there, but there are actually plenty other types of this unique creature and we will discuss them here today.
In this guide, we will talk about the different types of ladybugs you will most likely encounter in your garden at some point.
Let’s get started!
Facts About Ladybug
Did you know the ladybug was referred to as the beetle of our lady in Europe? This was after the insect fed on the pests that ate their crops.
It now makes sense why it is also referred to as ladybeetles, which many prefer, is suitable as opposed to the versatile name it is most known for ladybug. In some parts of the world, it is also known as a ladybird.
Ladybugs are common for their unique and vibrant colors, mostly red with spotted blacks, but you would be cheated if you think ladybugs only appear in red and black color.
A ladybug can be yellow, orange, brown, pink, or all-black. Their color seems quite attractive, but they threaten other insects.
Ladybugs can feed on some plants, but they are more predators to the prey in your garden than they would be a threat to your garden. So, once it’s time to get rid of aphids, mealy bugs, scales, leafhoppers, mites, and their insects, get ladybugs to do the dirty job.
Little wonder many farmers depend on the ladybug population to help maintain pest control for their crops.
So now that you know ladybugs are unique and play essential roles in our home gardens or farms let’s talk about the different types of ladybugs out there. Are you ready?
Read Also: Where Do Japanese Beetles Go At Night?
Different Types Of Ladybugs
There are over 6,000 ladybug species in the world. Ladybug belongs to the insect class, Coccinellidae family, Hipppodamia genus, and convergence species.
The convergent ladybug, cardinal ladybird, California lady beetle, and 22-spot ladybug are the most common types of a ladybug.
1. Convergent ladybug (Hipppodamia convergens)
Also known as the convergent lady beetle, the convergent ladybug is among North America’s most common type of ladybug. You will most likely find the species in habitats ranging from grasslands, forests, agricultural fields, gardens, or Natural parks.
The convergent ladybug is notable as it is a natural enemy of aphids, scales, trips, and other soft-bodied insects. They, most times, would feed on pollen and nectar when they don’t have insects to prey on.
Since this type of ladybug is a natural enemy for pests or insects, they are currently widely collected from mass aggregations for distribution to the pest control industry.
How do you identify the convergent ladybug? You can quickly identify the adults by their bright red or orange elytra, which usually has 12 black spots.
2. California lady beetle (Coccinella California)
Coccinella californica is another type of ladybug from the class of insects. Also known as the ladybird beetle and just as the scientific name implies, it is commonly found in California.
This ladybug visits flowers of a hollow leaf of annual Lupine, pale yellow, tidy tips, rosemary, and Lupine. The elytra are red or orange and have no spots on them. So they are plain and primarily black thorax.
3. Seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata)
This type of ladybug is most common and renowned in Europe. Like other types of ladybug, the seven-spotted ladybug feed on other insects that are a harmful threat to your garden or plants. So you can spare your plant some space to grow without pest infestation by allowing the seven-spotted ladybug on the pests or insects.
Do you know why it is referred to as the seven-spotted ladybug? The ladybug’s elytra are red, with three black spots on each ride with a bolder spot at the center of each side, making it seven spots. Hence the name seven-spotted ladybug.
This ladybug’s body is oval, usually, 7-8 mm long, and has three pairs of prominent legs.
4. Cardinal ladybug (Novius ladybug)
Commonly known as vedalia beetle or cardinal ladybird is a type of ladybug that is most common in Australia. The cardinal ladybug is essential in keeping many destructive pests at bay; you would only have to let a good number of them occupy your garden.
Besides its black body, this type of ladybug has striking red markings on its back that distinguishes it from other ladybugs. The adult can grow up to a length of 2-4mm.
See Also: Will Soapy Water Kill Japanese Beetles?
5. 22 Spot ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata)
Native to Europe, the 22-spot ladybug is yet another type of ladybug that you would most likely find in gardens, but this time amongst low vegetation; you are most likely to find it around April to August.
It feeds on pests too, but unlike other types of ladybugs that feed on aphids or mealy bugs, this 22-spot ladybug feeds on mildew.
What makes this ladybug 22-spot ladybug? Well, the elytra of this ladybug are yellow, accompanied by 22 black spots. The insect is 3-5 mm long.
6. Pink-spotted lady beetle (Coleonegilla maculate)
Also known as the spotted lady beetle or twelve-spotted lad beetle pink spotted lady beetle is a large Coccinellidae beetle native to North America.
It is also a beneficial insect that many farmers deliberately keep in the field to keep insects and other pests at bay. Pink-spotted ladybugs can equally feed on mites and other safe-bodied insects like honeydew.
The spotted pink lady beetle can often be seen using flowers, where it might collect half of its diet from pollen.
The insect’s elytra are a deep pink, bordering on red. A small pink-red triangle is on the head between its eyes. Then, sitting on the wing are twelve black spots with two dots connecting at the midline, so it may look like ten spots when the wings are closed.
7. 28 spotted ladybird (Henosepilachna vignitioctopunctata)
Here’s a type of ladybug that you should pay attention to; compared to other ladybugs mentioned earlier, the 28-spotted ladybug is unique as it is more significant than other ladybird species.
You will see them in orange or yellow color. On each wing, you can count up to 13 black spots, which makes it 26, and then light on the thorax are two other black spots, which makes it 28.
8. Twenty-spotted ladybug (Psyllobora vigintimaculata)
The twenty-spotted ladybugs or beetles are native to North America. They feed primarily on fungus, especially mildew; they tend to appear in spring at the base of skunk cabbage and move on to any plant with powdery mildew during the summer and early fall.
9. Orange spotted ladybug (Brachiacantha ursina)
They are commonly called orange-spotted ladybird species of ladybug native to New Zealand.
The ladybug’s elytra are black with orange spots, unlike others with yellow, red, or orange as the dominant color and black as the spots. However, the shade of the spots can vary on different beetles.
The legs and underside of the bugs are black, and the length varies between 4-5 and 5.5mm long. Like many ladybugs, the elytra are oval; it is the widest in the middle, and the abdomen is slightly distinct between male and female.
10. Three banded ladybugs (Coccinella trifasciata)
The three-banded ladybug, beetle ladybug’s color, is red to reddish-brown with three black bands across its wing covers.
Although the three-banded lady beetle is secure globally, they are declining in great numbers, dealing with many factors.
The three-banded lady beetle preys on the non-native lady beetle, so they do quite a lot oppressing or out-competing them for food and habitat. In addition to this, the lady beetle keeps reducing in number because of the overuse of pesticides.
The three-banded lady beetle is a small one between 4 and 5mm long. You will likely find these bugs in the fields, meadows, gardens, yards, or shrubby vegetation.
11. Fifteen-spotted lady beetle (Anatis labiculata)
Here’s another type of ladybug that you can learn about. Fifteen spotted lady beetle is native to the North, renowned for its unique colors ranging from light grey to dark purple with black spots. It feeds on aphids; you will likely see them in the forested area from April to July.
The fifteen spotted lady beetle is 7.2 to 9.5mm long, and most are oval. The unique thing about this ladybug is that it darkens as it ages, so in most cases, it loses the spots as they gradually blend with the dark color.
12. Fourteen-spotted ladybird (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata)
In addition to grasslands and woodland edges, the 14-spotted ladybirds also inhabit towns and gardens. Scientifically referred to as propylea quatuordecimpunctata, the 14-spotted ladybird is also a medium-sized ladybug belonging to the family Coccinellidae.
The ladybug comes in over 100 varieties of colors and pattern variations. However, the most notable of all colors range from yellow to orange.
They are 3.5 to 4.5mm long. The fourteen-spotted ladybird is also insect-eating specie, feeding on aphids, Coccoidea, and Aleyrodidae. In order words, your yard or garden is free from insect or pest invasion, thanks to the fourteen-spotted ladybird.
13. Thirteen-spotted ladybug (Hipppodamia tredecimpunctata)
Although it is the most common in Northern Ontario, the thirteen-spotted ladybug is now less than the seven-spotted ladybug. However, you can still find this type of ladybug on blades of grass and low plants in field and meadow habitats.
The pronotum pattern is just as variable as the spots. On the flip side, unlike the other relatively small ladybugs, the thirteen-spotted ladybug is large-sized.
The elytra are reddish-orange with 13 black spots that complement the unique color. This ladybug also prefers to feed on aphids and other pests that may invade gardens.
Do you think ladybugs are always spotted?
If you do, you are about to dispel the old thoughts because other types of ladybugs have proven their uniqueness, which differs from the others. There are other types of ladybugs.
See Also: Plants That Keep Stray Cats Away
14. The metallic blue lady beetle (Curinus Coeruleus)
Ladybugs are indeed beautiful, and quite a sight to behold, but have you thought of something as unique and perfect as metallic blue? If you live in Florida, you have met this ladybug in or around your garden.
To add outstanding beauty, the metallic blue lady beetle has a single orange to the red spot on either side of the pronotum.
Besides its beauty, the ladybug is quite fierce and possesses the ability to defend any garden it finds itself in from pest infestation.
15. The steel blue lady beetle (Halmus Chalybeus)
More than being a protector, the steel blue lady beetle adds beauty and incredible looks to your garden if they are quite plenteous. The beetle is shiny and would do more than perch on your plants.
The steel blue lady beetle is native to Australia, but you can now find it in southern California. Do not expect them in steel blue alone because they can take purplish or greenish color.
The males differ from the females; if you want to find this type of ladybug quickly, look for the ones with a single yellow spot on either side of the pronotum. If you live in southern California, you must be elated because you will meet this beauty before you know it.
16. The six-spotted zigzag ladybird (Cheilomenes sexmaculata)
Primarily found in the Caribbean and known for its unique pattern, the six-spotted zigzag ladybird is another ladybug most likely to occupy gardens, especially in popular places. The ladybird can be red or yellow with a unique zigzag pattern on its wings.
17. The mealy bug destroyer lady bug (Cryptolaemus montrouzier)
Probably not the usual type of ladybug you should be fond of because it comes in a different color, very different from other types of ladybug. It is native to Australia and was used as a biological control against citrus mealy bug for the first time in 1891.
This type of ladybug has an orange head, pronotum, and dark brown to black wings.
Conclusion
This article tells you that which you do not know about ladybugs. We hope it has led you into the world of ladybugs; if you have always wondered what they are and the types of ladybugs, this guide has provided enough information about them.
It would help you identify the kind of ladybug in your garden, or you will most likely see whether you visit Florida, the Caribbean, or California.
Ladybugs are pretty little creatures that protect plants from harmful insects, and even with all these, they do not harm humans; this may be the primary reason it’s more of a friend than an insect to be worried about.
Now that you know the types of ladybugs, can you identify the ladybug in your garden?