Kidney-spot Ladybird - Chilocorus renipustulatus

    Click here to support NatureSpot by making a donation - small or large - your gift is very much appreciated. Thank you.
    Alternative names
    Kidney Spot Ladybird
    Description

    The Kidney-spot Ladybird has a black body with a large red spot on each wing casing (elytron). The antennae and underside are orange. The wing casings have a distinctly flattened flange all the way round. It is quite a small ladybird at about 5 mm.

    Identification difficulty
    Habitat

    Usually found in well-wooded areas, often on tree trunks.

    When to see it

    April to October.

    Life History

    It feeds on scale insects on the bark of trees.

    UK Status

    It is fairly frequent in England and Wales.

    VC55 Status

    Fairly frequent in the Leicestershire and Rutland area. There were a total of 90 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.

    be our species champion

    • Graham Calow
      Marsh near Old Fosse, Sapcote
      25 September 2009
    • David Nicholls
      Burbage Common
      16 July 2010
    • Graham Calow
      Sapcote
      11 June 2013
    • John Cranfield
      Fleckney garden1
      11 August 2004
      mating pair
    • John Cranfield
      Fleckney garden1
      02 July 2005
      larvae
    • Graham Calow
      Granitethorpe Quarry, Sapcote
      09 July 2009
      Larvae
    • John Cranfield
      Fleckney garden1
      19 July 2005
      newly emerged adult
    • David Gould
      Narborough Bog NR
      06 July 2010
      part of group of 200+ larvae feeding on scale insects

    Leicestershire & Rutland Map

    MAP KEY:

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

    UK Map

    • David Nicholls
      Ullesthorpe Stewardship Farm
      02 September 2011
    • Graham Calow
      Sapcote
      26 March 2010
    • David Nicholls
      Burbage Wood
      12 April 2012
    • HAPeacock
      NPMC Garden
      22 May 2012
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      02 August 2012
    • John Cranfield
      Fleckney garden2
      02 July 2005
    • David Gould
      Narborough Bog NR
      06 July 2010
      mixed larval stages/colours and shed skins