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Lady Beetle LADY BEETLES
Critter Files/Insects/Beetles/Lady Beetles
By Blake Newton
University of Kentucky Department of Entomology
   
Common Kentucky Lady Beetles:
 
TAXONOMY

KINGDOM: Animalia | PHYLUM: Arthropoda | CLASS: Insecta | ORDER:Coleoptera | FAMILY: Coccinellidae (lady beetles)

 
Other Names: Ladybugs, Ladybird Beetles, Ladybirds, Coccinellids
 
WHAT IS A LADYBEETLE?
LIFE CYCLE
ECOLOGY
PEST STATUS
COMMON KENTUCKY LADYBEETLES
COLLECTING & PHOTOGRAPHY
LADY BEETLE FACTS
MYTHS, LEGENDS, AND FOLKLORE
 
WHAT IS A LADY BEETLE?

Like all beetles, Lady Beetles (often called "ladybugs" or "ladybird beetles") have chewing mouthparts and hardened front wings (elytra) that fold over the abdomen to proect their back wings.  Lady beetles always have round or broad, oval bodies, and most species are orange, red, or yellow, with black spots.  A few rare types are black with yellow, orange, or red spots, and some are completely black.  The ends of lady beetle antennae have small clubs.

Lady beetle larvae are elongated, and most are black with yellow, red, or orange markings.  The larvae of a few species produce a thick wax coating over their bodies.

SIZE: Adults and larvae up to 3/8"
 
LIFE CYCLE

Lady beetles have complete metamorphosis with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages.  In most ladybird beetle species, bright yellow or orange eggs are laid in small clusters which are glued to plant leaves with secretions produced by the female.  The larvae hatch within a few days and reach full size after 2 molts, a time span of about a month (depending on temperature, food availability, and species).

Lady Beetle Egg Cluster
Lady Beetle Egg Cluster
(R. Bessin, 2000)
 
These 1st instar (newborn) ladybird beetle larvae are less than 2 mm long
These 1st instar (newborn) lady beetle larvae are less than 2 mm long (R. Bessin, 2000)
Pupa of Convergent Lady beetle
Pupa of Convergent Lady beetle
(R. Bessin, 2000)
 
The larvae then pupate, and emerge as adults after a few days. Most species overwinter as adults in large underground or sheltered colonies.  There are several generations each year.
 
ECOLOGY
 

There are several species of lady beetles in Kentucky.  Some are predatory, and some are plant feeders, and each type has a different ecological role.  Many lady beetles have defensive secretions that make them taste bad to predators.  Even with this protection, lady beetles are often eaten by birds, spiders, and larger insects.

PREDATORY LADY BEETLES: Predatory lady beetles are the most common.  The larval and adult forms of predatory lady beetle species feed on a wide variety of small, soft-bodied insects, such as aphids, scale insects, caterpillars, other insect larvae (including other lady beetle larvae), and insect eggs.  Both the adults and larvae actively hunt for prey over the surfaces of plants, especially in weedy environments and in crops.  Pictured below are two predatory lady beetle larvae.  On the left is Hippodamia convergens, a common aphid predator in Kentucky agricultural habitats.  On the right is a larva from the Scymnus genus.  This larvae also feeds on aphids.  The white tufts covering the larva are made of a waxy substance that is secreted from pores on the insect's skin.  The substance helps to protect the larva from ants and other predators.  Ezra Schwartzberg, a former researcher at the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, studied the complex ecological relationships between Scymnus larvae, the aphids that the larvae prey on, and the ants that protect the aphids.

   
Convergent Lady Beetle Larva, feeding on aphids
Convergent Lady Beetle Larva, feeding on aphids
(R. Bessin, 2000)
Lady beetle larva from the Scymnus genus
Lady beetle larva from the Scymnus genus
(E. Schwartzberg, 2002)
 
PLANT-FEEDING LADY BEETLES: Plant-feeding lady beetles are normally larger than predatory lady beetles.  We only have a few species of plant-feeding lady beetles in Kentucky.  The larvae and adults feed on the leaves of a variety of legume plants.
 
PEST STATUS

Although most lady beetle species are beneficial predators, a few species are considered pests, including the Mexican Bean Beetle, the Squash Lady Beetle, and the Asian Lady Beetle, all of which are discussed in detail below.

 
 
COMMON KENTUCKY LADYBIRD BEETLES

ASIAN LADY BEETLE
GENUS and SPECIES: Harmonia axyridis
The Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis, was imported into the United States to control aphid pests.  The beetle kills lots of aphids, but it also overwinters in huge numbers inside homes  This species also attacks other lady beetle larvae and eggs, and may be responsible for reducing numbers of native lady beetle species.  The Asian Lady Beetle can be difficult to identify because it has a highly variable number of spots.  Read more about this pest in our Asian Lady Beetle factsheet.

 
Asian Lady Beetle Larva
Asian Lady Beetle Larva (R. Bessin, 2000)
Asian Lady Beetle
Asian Lady Beetle (R. Bessin, 2000)

MEXICAN BEAN BEETLE & SQUASH LADY BEETLE
GENUS and SPECIES: Epilachna varivestis (mexican bean beetle), Epilachna borealis (squash lady beetle)
The Mexican Bean Beetle, Epilachna varivestis, pictured below left, is a large plant-feeding lady beetle.  It will sometimes causes injury to bean crops in Kentucky.  A close relative, the Squash Lady Beetle, Epilachna borealis, below right, is an occasional pest as well.  These beetles are more serious pests further south.  Read more about them here at the University of Florida Featured Creatures web page.

 
Eggs, larva, pupa and adult Mexican Bean Beetle
Eggs, larva, pupa and adult Mexican Bean Beetle
(R. Bessin, 2000)
Squash Lady Beetle
Squash Lady Beetle (R. Bessin, 2001)
SEVEN-SPOT LADY BEETLE
GENUS and SPECIES: Coccinella septempunctata
CONVERGENT LADY BEETLE

GENUS and SPECIES: Hippodamia convergens
PINK LADY BEETLE
GENUS and SPECIES: Coleomegilla maculata
Pictured below are the Seven-Spot Lady Beetle, the Pink Lady Beetle (also called the 12-Spotted Lady Beetle), and the Convergent Lady Beetle.  These are some of the most common beneficial predatory lady beetle species that are frequently encountered in gardens, crops, and meadows.
 
Seven-Spot Lady Beetle
Seven-Spot Lady Beetle (R. Bessin, 2000)
Convergent Lady Beetle
Convergent Lady Beetle (R. Bessin, 2000)
 
Pink Lady Beetle
Pink Lady Beetle (R. Bessin, 2000)
YELLOW-SPOTTED LADY BEETLES
GENUS: Hyperaspis
Not all lady beetles are red with black spots: some are black with red, orange, or yellow spots, like the Hyperaspis sp. pictured below.  Most of the beetles in this genus are predators.
 
Yellow-spotted Lady Beetle
Yellow-spotted Lady Beetle (B. Newton, 2002)
 
COLLECTING & PHOTOGRAPHY

Lady beetles and their larvae are common and easy to find in Kentucky during summer and early fall, especially on garden plants and in crops where they can be found hunting on leaves for aphids and other small insects.  The beetles are typically slow-moving and easy to catch, but they will sometimes drop off of a plant to escape danger.  They are also able to fly, but they are slow, clumsy fliers.  The larvae are very slow-moving and easy to capture.  Remember that all insect larvae should be preserved in alcohol.

The larvae will often remain still long enough for you to snap a picture, but the adult beetles seem to be in constant motion, especially on hot days.  To take a good picture of any insect, it is sometimes a good idea to "cool it off" first.  To do this, capture the insect and place it in a refrigerator for fifteen minutes or so.  This will not kill the insect (unless your refrigerator is very cold!), but it will cool it down enough so that it will remain motionless while you take its picture.  In a few minutes, the insect will be back to normal.

 
LADYBIRD BEETLE FACTS

Lady beetles are very important beneficial insects in crops and gardens. This page from the USDA discusses some of the most important species:
www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar95/001030.beetlemagstory.htm

 
MYTHS - LEGENDS - FOLKLORE

It is often said that it is bad luck to kill a ladybug.  In fact, many people believe that ladybugs are lucky.  This is even mentioned in the Four Seasons song, "Lucky Ladybug," from 1963.

It is believed in Europe that the number of spots on certain lady beetle species can predict the coming harvest: fewer spots is good, too many spots is bad (this is probably not true, by the way!).


Original document: 25 May 2004
Last updated: 25 May 2004

Photos courtesy R. Bessin and B. Newton, University of Kentucky
The Kentucky Critter Files are maintained by Blake Newton, Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky.
Contact: blaken@uky.edu

 

University of Kentucky Entomology/Kentucky Critter Files/Kentucky Insects/Beetles/Lady Beetles