Seven-spotted Ladybird
Coccinella septempunctata
Summary 3
Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or "C-7"), is the most common ladybird in Europe. Its elytra are of a red colour, but punctuated with three black spots each, with one further spot being spread over the junction of the two, making a total of seven spots, from which the species derives both its common and scientific names (from the Latin septem = "seven" and punctata = "spotted").
Description 4
Ladybirds are perhaps the most well-known and popular of all British beetles, and the seven-spot ladybird is one of the commonest species (2). This rounded beetle has bright red wing cases with 7 black spots, although some individuals may have more or fewer spots. The thorax is black with patches of pale yellow at the front corners (3). The common name of this group of beetles, 'ladybird', was originally given to the seven-spot in honour of the Virgin Mary; the red wing cases symbolising the Virgin's red cloak, with the seven spots representing her seven joys and seven sorrows. The larvae are blackish in colour and are active predators of aphids (4).
Food habits 5
The seven-spotted lady beetle is carnivorous. Both the adult and larval stages feed on insects harmful to plants, such as aphids and scale insects (Anonymous 1997). Adults can be known to eat up to 100 aphids a day (Arnett Jr., et al 1980). Rather than using any complicated methods for eating its prey, the ladybug kills its prey outright and then devours it (Waldbauer, 1998).
Animal Foods: insects
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )
Biology 6
C. septempunctata has a broad ecological range, living almost anywhere there are aphids for it to eat. Both the adults and the larvae are voracious predators of aphids, and because of this, C. septempunctata has been repeatedly introduced to North America as a biological control agent to reduce aphid numbers, and is now established in North America, and has been subsequently designated the official state insect of five different states (Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee).
In the United Kingdom, there are fears that the seven-spot ladybird is being outcompeted for food by the harlequin ladybird. Conversely, in North America, this species has outcompeted many native species, including other Coccinella.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Gilles Gonthier, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/46788399@N00/1040200079
- (c) AnneTanne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/78746377@N00/4392057143
- Adapted by Scott Loarie from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccinella_septempunctata
- (c) Wildscreen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/6693202
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/18641308
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccinella_septempunctata
