Insect 🐞
🐞
Coccinella septempunctata
| Size | 7–8 mm About the size of a small pea |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.02 g Virtually weightless — lighter than a flake of cereal |
| Lifespan | 1–2 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Males and females look identical; males are slightly smaller |
| Habitat | Meadows, gardens, woodland edges, hedgerows, arable field margins |
| Best time | Spring–autumn; overwinters in leaf litter and hollow stems |
| Conservation | UK: Green LC |
Did you know?
When threatened, ladybirds release a foul-smelling yellow fluid from their leg joints called 'reflex blood' — it contains toxic alkaloids that make predators spit them out
When threatened, ladybirds release a foul-smelling yellow fluid from their leg joints called 'reflex blood' — it contains toxic alkaloids that make predators spit them out
More for experts
The red-and-black pattern is aposematism — an honest warning to predators; Seven-spot Ladybirds are genuinely toxic and predators that taste one rarely repeat the mistake
Often confused with
Harlequin Ladybird (variable pattern, often more than 7 spots, invasive), Two-spot Ladybird (smaller, only 2 spots)
Harlequin Ladybird (variable pattern, often more than 7 spots, invasive), Two-spot Ladybird (smaller, only 2 spots)