Kidney-spot Ladybird - Chilocorus renipustulatus

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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