7 Spot Ladybird - Coccinella septempunctata

Alternative names
Seven Spot Ladybird
Description

The very common Seven Spot Ladybird is usually red, occasionally yellow. Its seven black spots are arranged three on each wing case or elytron and one at the back sitting across the two elytra.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

All habitats.

When to see it

Active from March until October.

Life History

Both larvae and adults feed on aphids which helps their image as a gardener's friend. They hibernate during winter and can be found in cracks and crevices, often in outbuildings and around window frames. Large numbers often migrate here from the Continent in warm years.

UK Status

The most common of Britain's ladybirds.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were approximately 1100 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Seven-Spot Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird
Species group:
Beetles
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Coccinellidae
Records on NatureSpot:
1947
First record:
01/07/1992 (Jon Daws)
Last record:
17/03/2024 (Dejardin, Andrew)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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