Insect
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🐞
Size
7–8 mmAbout the size of a small pea
Weight
0.02 gVirtually 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
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)
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