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2-spot Ladybird

2-spot Ladybird ©Rachel Scopes

2-spot ladybird

Our most common ladybird, the black-on-red markings of the 2-spot Ladybird are familiar to many of us. Ladybirds are beneficial insects, managing garden pests - encourage them by putting up a bug box.

Scientific name

Adalia bipunctata

When to see

March to October

Species information

Category

Statistics

Length: 4-6mm
Common.

About

The 2-spot ladybird is a medium-sized ladybird found in a wide variety of habitats, including parks, towns and gardens. Both adults and larvae feed on aphids, making them a friend in the garden. The adults hibernate over winter in bark, or sometimes in houses, congregating in large numbers. The lifecycle of a ladybird consists of four phases: the egg; the larval stage, during which the larva undergoes a series of moults; the pupa, in which the larva develops into an adult; and the adult phase, during which the female lays eggs in batches of up to 40.

How to identify

The 2-spot ladybird is usually red with two black spots on the wing cases, but it also comes in a variety of other colour forms, right through to black with two red spots. The only likely species that may cause confusion is the 10-spot ladybird, which is a similar size and variable in pattern. However, 2-spot ladybirds have black legs, while 10-spot ladybirds have orange legs.

Distribution

Widespread.

Did you know?

The 2-spot ladybird is probably the most common ladybird in the UK and the one you are most likely to find indoors over winter.