Comparing Ladybugs in North America
This guide focuses on how ladybug species of similar appearance are separated and covers those occurring in the US (Lower 48, Alaska), Canada, and Greenland. Here, one main species is presented with those that are similar being listed below. The features that allow them to be told apart are described. Note that the species being compared usually overlap in distribution and are only included if it is reasonable they could be mistaken for the main species. Entries are divided into three levels of difficulties:
🟢 - Easy: Separating the species is based on relatively consistent features and requires little practice or experience to distinguish successfully. The species can be identified from photos and often don’t need to be considered when identifying.
🟡 - Medium: Separating species relies on more variable features and requires some practice to identify tell apart. The species is usually identifiable from photos, though dissection may be needed in some cases.
🔴 - Hard: Separating species uses subtle, variable, and/or overlapping features or frequently requires specialized methods such as genitalia, DNA, or chromosomes to separate successfully. The species is often not identifiable from photos.
Adalia bipunctata
- 🟡Adalia decempunctata - Mesepimera white or yellow-ish, frons usually more white, legs orange to brown. Various differences in pattern. Known only from the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland.
- 🟡Mulsantina picta - Head with three white spots, pronotum with more spots.
- 🟡Anisosticta bitriangularis - Body more elongated, pronotal spots more blocky.
- 🟡Harmonia axyridis - Body more rounded, elytron typically with kneel near the apex, frons usually more white.
- 🟡Cycloneda spp. - Body more rounded, pronotum without white basal spots.
- 🟡Exochomus spp. - Pronotum and head without white markings, elytral margins flared out.
- 🟢Hippodamia variegata - Pronotum with white outer margins, often with two white spots.
- 🟢Coccinella trifasciata - Elytron with smoother black bands, pronotum black with white anterior margin.
- 🟢Coccinella septempunctata - Elytron with spot formula ½:1:1:1, pronotum with square white spots on anterior corners.
Adalia decempunctata
- 🟡Adalia bipunctata - Mesepimera usually black, frons usually mostly black with two white spots, legs black. Various differences in pattern.
- 🟡Harmonia axyridis - Body more rounded, frons with more pronounced black notches, elytron with spot formula ½:2:3:3:1.
- 🟡Propylea quatuordecimpunctata - More yellow overall, in dark forms, yellow basal spots not kidney-shaped.
- 🟢Hippodamia variegata - Pronotum with white outer margins, often with two white spots.
Anatis labiculata
- 🟡Anatis mali - Pronotum seemingly more tan, elytral spots with pronounced halos.
- 🟡Anatis rathvoni - Body more kite-shaped with lateral margin of elytron flared. Elytron usually without spots near the scutellum.
- 🟡Olla v-nigrum - Pronotum more white with more defined black ‘M’, elytron with spot pattern 4:3:1, the centremost spot is V-shaped.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum with more defined black ‘M’, elytra bright red/orange, elytron with spot pattern ½:2:3:3:1.
Anatis lecontei
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Elytra without black outer margin, pronotum with white margins.
Anatis mali
- 🟡Anatis labiculata - Pronotum seemingly more white, elytron ashy grey or dark brown, the latter without haloed spots.
- 🟡Anatis rathvoni - Body more kite-shaped with lateral margin of elytron flared. Elytron usually without spots near the scutellum.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum with more defined black ‘M’, elytra bright red/orange, elytral spots without halos.
Anisosticta bitriangularis
- 🟡Anisosticta borealis - Head mostly black, elytron with heavier spots, mesepimeron darkened or black. More northerly range.
- 🟢Hippodamia/Ceratomegilla spp. - Elytron usually red or orange, pronotum mostly black.
- 🟢Psyllobora spp. - Body much rounder, suture usually unmarked at elytral base.
- 🟢Propylea quatuordecimpunctata - Body much rounder, colouration yellow, elytral spots generally more square.
Anisosticta borealis
- 🟡Anisosticta bitriangularis - Frons pale, elytron usually with weaker spots, lateral margin of abdomen and mesepimeron pale. More southerly range.
- 🟢Hippodamia/Ceratomegilla spp. - Elytron usually red or orange, pronotum mostly black.
- 🟢Psyllobora spp. - Body much rounder, suture usually unmarked at elytral base.
Calvia quatuordecimguttata
- 🟡Chilocorus spp. - Elyton with flared margins, elytral spot deeper red, not heart- or U-shaped.
- 🟡Neoharmonia venusta - (ssp. venusta): elytra with V-shaped marking on suture, four spots on pronotum. Darker forms with orange-pink spot touching elytral margin.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum usually with large white portions, dark forms with redder elytral spots.
- 🟢Coleomegilla maculata - Body much more elongated, elytral apical spot divided along suture.
- 🟢Naemia seriata - Body much more elongated, colour more peachy.
Aphidecta obliterata
- 🟢Mulsantina picta (spotless) - Pronotum with more spots, suture not darkened.
- 🟢Hippodamia moesta - Pronotum with white spots on anterior corners, elytral base black.
- 🟢Adalia spp. - Body less elongated, pronotal spots rounder.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Body much rounder, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
Cheilomenes sexmaculata
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum with white spots reaching interior margin, elytron not red or orange.
Ceratomegilla ulkei
- 🟡Hippodamia - Tarsal claw cleft, pronotum never with only lateral margins white, in dark forms, elytral margins mostly black.
Coccinella alta
- 🟢Coccinella monticola - Suture without black stripe.
- 🟢Coccinella novemnotata - Pronotum with anterior white margin, elytron with spots, not bands.
- 🟢Adalia bipunctata (banded) - Pronotum with white spot reaching interior margin.
Coccinella californica
- 🟡Coccinella novemnotata - Pronotum with white band on anterior margin.
- 🟡Coccinella trifasciata - Pronotum with white band on anterior margin, suture without black stripe.
- 🟡Coccinella septempunctata - Only rarely spotless, suture without black stripe.
- 🟡Coccinella hieroglyphica - Suture without black stripe.
- 🟢Coccinella undecimpunctata - Body flat and elongated, suture without black stripe.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Body rounder, pronotum with white margins, suture without black stripe.
- 🟢Hippodamia - Body flat and elongated.
Coccinella difficilis
- 🟡Coccinella septempunctata - Elytra with rounder, evenly-sized spots.
- 🟡Coccinella monticola - First band made of two spots which are more in line with each other; the smaller spot is not off set.
Coccinella fulgida
- 🔴Coccinella monticola - Pronotum with ventral white spot on anterior angle large, elytra with two spots making first black band more aligned, not creating noticeable angle when merged. Distribution extends much further south. To separate this species, dissection may be required.
- 🟡Coccinella hieroglyphica (ssp. humboldtiensis) - Pronotum with ventral white spot on anterior angle large, elytra with yellow rings around spots.
- 🟡Coccinella difficilis - Averages larger overall, body more convex. Little-to-no overlap in distribution.
- 🟡Coccinella transversoguttata - Elytra usually with transverse black bar or black spots on humeral callus, usually lacks lateral spots.
Coccinella hieroglyphica
- 🟡Coccinella trifasciata - Pronotum with wide white anterior margin, elytra usually with rounded basal band.
- 🟡Coccinella californica - Suture with black stripe.
- 🟢Hippodamia moesta - Body flat and elongated, pronotum often with slanted white lines.
- 🟢Adalia bipunctata (banded) - Pronotum with white spot reaching the interior margin.
Coccinella monticola
- 🔴Coccinella fulgida - Pronotum with ventral white spot on anterior angle small, elytra with two spots making first black band less aligned, creating noticeable angle when merged. Distribution more northerly. To separate this species, dissection may be required.
- 🟡Coccinella difficilis - Pattern less consistent, with anterior markings typically separated, and while posterior markings combined forming a wide bar. Side spot in the anterior row very tiny compared to adjacent spot. Anterior bar may develop tapering towards the outer sides. Primarily Great Plains climate distribution.
- 🟡Coccinella transversoguttata - Elytra usually with transverse black bar or black spots on humeral callus, usually lacks lateral spots.
Coccinella novemnotata
- 🟡Coccinella californica - Pronotum without white band on anterior margin.
- 🟡Coccinella prolongata - Pronotum with pointed white spots, elytra more pink, suture pale.
Coccinella prolongata
- 🟡Coccinella novemnotata - Suture with black stripe, elytra less pink.
- 🟡Coccinella septempunctata/C. difficilis - Prontoum with smaller, less pointed white spots, elytra more orange or red.
Coccinella septempunctata
- 🟡Coccinella difficilis/C.monticola (light) - Elytral spots not even in size; lateral spot tiny, posterior spot large and kidney-shaped.
- 🟡Coccinella novemnotata/C. californica (spotted) - Suture with black stripe.
- 🟡Coccinella transversoguttata - Elytron usually with black bar or black spots on humeral callus; scutellum spot less rounded, other spots transverse.
- 🟡Coccinella prolongata - Pronotum with pointed white spots, elytra more pink.
- 🟢Coccinella undecimpunctata - Body flat and elongated, elytron typically with more spots.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. - Body flat, elongated, sometimes with 7 spots, but not evenly distributed across the elytron.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum with white spots reaching interior margin.
Coccinella transversoguttata
- 🟡Coccinella trifasciata - Elytra with basal black band shapely, often with pale outline, pronotum with anterior white margin.
- 🟡Coccinella septempunctata - Elytra with rounder spots, larger scutellum spot.
- 🟡Coccinella monticola - Elytral spots more elongated.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. - Body flat and elongated.
Coccinella trifasciata
- 🟡Coccinella transversoguttata - Elytral with straight basal band without pale outline, pronotum with anterior margin black.
- 🟡Coccinella californica - Suture with black stripe, pronotum with anterior margin black.
- 🟡Coccinella hieroglyphica - Pronotum with anterior margin black or with only narrowly white.
- 🟢Adalia bipunctata - Pronotum with white spot reaching interior margin.
Coccinella undecimpunctata
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens/H.variegata - Pronotum with white outer margins, elytra with up to 13 spots.
- 🟢Coccinella spp. - Body more rounded and domed.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Body rounder, pronotum with white spot reaching interior margin.
Coelophora inaequalis
- 🟢Harmonia dimidiata - Pronotum with more limited black markings, elytral spots rounded, suture without black stripe. Known only from Orlando, Florida.
- 🟢Neoharmonia venusta - Body more elongated, suture and outer elytral margins pale.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum white, elytral apex without black spot.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Pronotum with white margins and two white spots.
- 🟢Exochomus spp. - Pronotum more black, elytra with outer margins pale.
Coelophora biplagiata
- 🟡Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum with white spots reaching interior margin, suture without black stripe.
- 🟢Neoharmonia venusta - Pronotum pink-orange, suture without black stripe.
Coleomegilla maculata
- 🟡Naemia seriata - Pronotum with merged spots, elytral apical spot not divided.
- 🟢Calvia quatuordecimguttata - Pink form: body rounded, elytral apical spot not divided.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. - Pronotum black and white, elytra not pink.
Cycloneda munda
- 🟡Cycloneda polita - Elytron often red. No known overlap in distribution.
- 🟡Cycloneda sanguinea - Body rounder, pronotum with isolated and rounded white spots, margins of elytron dark.
- 🟡Mulsantina luteodorsa - Pronotum with elongated with stripe in centre.
- 🟡Cycloneda emarginata - Pronotum with isolated and teardrop-shape spots. Only tentatively known from southern Texas.
- 🟡Adalia bipunctata/Mulsantina picta (spotless) - Body more elongated, pronotum often with two white basal spots.
- 🟡Myzia pullata - Pronotum with black triangular spots within white, elytron usually with brown streaking.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Prontoum with black ‘M’, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. (spotless) - Body more elongated and flat, white spots on pronotum slanted (in most species).
Cycloneda emarginata
- 🟡Cycloneda sanguinea - Body and pronotal spots rounder, anterior margin partly black in females, legs variably orange.
- 🟡Cycloneda munda - Pronotum with macaroni-shaped spots merged with white margins, elytral margin pale.
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens (spotless) - Body even more elongated, pronotum with slanted white lines.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Prontoum with black ‘M’, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
Cycloneda polita
- 🟡Cycloneda munda - Elytron always orange. No known overlap in distribution.
- 🟡Cycloneda sanguinea - Pronotum with isolated and rounded white spots.
- 🟡Adalia bipunctata/Mulsantina picta (spotless) (spotless) - Body more elongated, pronotum often with two white basal spots.
- 🟢Coccinella trifasciata (spotless) - Pronotum with white anterior margin and white spots on anterior corners.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Prontoum with black ‘M’, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. (spotless) - Body more elongated and flat, white spots on pronotum slanted (in most species).
- 🟢Coccinella novemnotata/C. Californica (spotless) - Pronotum with white anterior corners, suture black.
Cycloneda sanguinea
- 🟡Cycloneda munda/polita - Pronotum with white macaroni-shaped spots, usually merged to white margins. Some specimens of C. polita from Utah very difficult to separate.
- 🟡Cycloneda emarginata - Body more elongated, pronotum with teardrop-shape spots, white margins never interrupted, legs black in both sexes. Only tentatively known from southern Texas.
- 🟡Adalia bipunctata/Mulsantina picta (spotless) (spotless) - Body more elongated, pronotum often with two white basal spots.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. (spotless) - Body more elongated and flat, white spots on pronotum slanted (in most species).
- 🟢Exochomus spp (spotless) - Pronotum without white markings.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Prontoum with black ‘M’, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
- 🟢Neoharmonia venusta (spotless) - Pronotum pink-orange.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. (spotless) - Body more elongated and flat, white spots on pronotum slanted (in most species).
- 🟢Anatis lecontei - Pronotum with yellow stripes, elytra with black margins.
- 🟢Coelophora inaequalis (spotless) - Pronotum with orange markings, suture and elytral margins black.
- 🟢Coccinella novemnotata/C. Californica (spotless) - Pronotum with white anterior corners, suture black.
Harmonia axyridis
- 🟡Harmonia quadripunctata - Body more elongated, pronotum with more spots, elytron usually with pale streaking. Only scarcely known from eastern North America.
- 🟡Olla v-nigrum - Light form: elytra grey, spot formula 4:3:1, the centremost spot is V-shaped. Dark form: pronotum with less extensive white markings, red spot more triangular or jagged.
- 🟡Adalia decempunctata - Body more elongated, frons with black notches shallower. Known only from the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland.
- 🟡Adalia bipunctata - Body more elongated, frons black with two white spots.
- 🟢Epilachna/Subcoccinella spp. - Body less glossy and covered in fine hairs, pronotum not white.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Pronotum with rounded or macaroni-shaped white spots.
- 🟢Exochomus quadripustulatus - Pronotum black, humeral spots comma-shaped.
- 🟢Chilocorus spp. - Pronotum completely black, elytral spot not O- or U-shaped.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. - Body more elongated, pronotum not with black ‘M’, never more than 13 spots.
- 🟢Coccinella septempunctata - Pronotum white spots not extending to interior margin.
Harmonia dimidiata
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum white, apex without black spot.
- 🟢Coelophora inaequalis - Suture and elytral margins black, elytral spots irregularly-shaped.
Harmonia quadripunctata
- 🟡Harmonia axyridis - Body more rounded, pronotum with fewer spots, elytra without pale streaking.
- 🟢Mulsantina picta - Elytra without pale streaking, elytra with latter-like pattern, not rounded spots.
Hippodamia americana
- 🟡Hippodamia arctica - Pronotum with white basal spot, elytra with more extensive black markings.
- 🟡Hippodamia apicalis - Pronotum usually with white basal spot, suture without black stripe.
- 🟡Hippodamia parenthesis - Pronotum with white basal spot, suture without black stripe.
Hippodamia apicalis
- 🔴Hippodamia expurgata - Externally identical, but with some difference in intensity of elytral markings; apical spot lacking in light forms.
- 🟡Hippodamia parenthesis/lunatomaculata - Elytral apex without black spot.
- 🟡Hippodamia arctica - Elytra with more extensive black markings.
- 🟢Adalia bipunctata (dark) - Elytra with red spot on humeral callus.
Hippodamia arctica
- 🟡Hippodamia americana - Pronotum without white basal spot, elytra with less extensive black markings.
- 🟡Hippodamia apicalis - Dark forms; red area of elytron not longitudinal or extend to elytral base.
- 🟡Ceratomegilla ulkei - Tarsal claw not cleft, pronotum with anterior margin black.
Hippodamia caseyi
- 🟡Hippodamia quinquesignata/H. glacialis - Without the combination of: pronotum with black notches on lateral margins, elongated T-shaped scutellum spot
- 🟡Hippodamia moesta - Black elytral markings usually heavier.
- 🟡Hippodamia oregonensis - Pronotum without notches on lateral margins, usually lacking slanted white discal spots, elytra with more angular markings.
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens/H. variegata - Pronotum without black notches on lateral margins, elytral spots usually weaker, rarely merged.
- 🟢Hippodamia parenthesis/H. lunatomaculata/H. apicalis/H. expurgata - Pronotum with white basal spot, elytron usually with parenthesis marking.
Hippodamia convergens
- 🟡Hippodamia quinquesignata - Pattern usually distinct, but some forms extremely similar to H. convergens, probably requiring dissection.
- 🟡Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. crotchi) - Elytra with elongated scutellar spot, without sub-sctuellar spots, other spots more rectangular.
- 🟡Hippodamia glacialis (ssp. glacialis) - Elytra without sub-scutellar spots, lower spots usually merged.
- 🟡Hippodamia variegata - Pronotum with rounded white spots, legs variably orange.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Body more rounded, pronotum with rounded or macaroni-shaped white spots.
Hippodamia expurgata
- 🔴Hippodamia apicalis - Externally identical, but with some difference in intensity of elytral markings; dark form from southern California seemingly unique.
- 🟡Hippodamia parenthesis - Elytron without black apical spot, elytral markings usually well-defined.
- 🟡Hippodamia lunatomaculata - Elytron without black apical spot. Very little overlap in distribution.
Hippodamia falcigera
- 🟢Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. sinuata) - Pronotum with slanted white lines. No overlap in distribution.
- 🟢Paranaemia vittigera - Pronotum with two distinct black spots, elytron with stripes connecting at the apex.
- 🟢Macronaemia episcopalis - Body more narrow, pronotum with two distinct black spots.
Hippodamia glacialis
- 🔴Hippodamia quinquesignata - Externally identical to subspecies H. g. lecontei, but with some differences in pattern; pronotum with distinct white slanted markings.
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens - Elytra with usually with spots isolated, merged spots are rare.
- 🟡Hippodamia moesta - Elytral background colour usually paler, elytral markings usually heavier.
- 🟡Hippodamia caseyi - With the combination of: pronotum with black notches on lateral margins, elongated T-shaped scutellum spot
- 🟡Hippodamia oregonensis - Pronotum usually lacking white discal spots, elytra with more angular markings.
Hippodamia lunatomaculata
- 🔴Hippodamia parenthesis - Tooth of tarsal claw not closely oppressed, less variable in pronunciation of pronotal and elytral markings, southern specimens (ssp. lunatomaculata) very lightly marked. Dissection may be needed to distinguish H. parenthesis from northern lunatomaculata (ssp. dobzhanskyi).
- 🟡Hippodamia apicalis/H. expurgata - Elytra with black apical spot.
- 🟡Hippodamia quinquesignata (ssp. ambigua) - Pronotum without white basal spot.
- 🟢Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. spuria) - Pronotum with slanted white lines.
Hippodamia moesta
- 🟡Hippodamia quinquesignata/H. glacialis - Elytral background colour usually lighter, elytra usually with less heavy markings. There is overlap in patterning and some specimens may require dissection. Hippodamia moesta politissima is externally identical to Hippodamia quinquesignata ambigua and requires dissection to identify.
- 🟡Hippodamia oregonensis - Pronotum without notches on lateral margins, usually lacking slanted white discal spots, elytra with more angular markings.
- 🟢Aphidecta obliterata (dark) - Pronotum without white spots on anterior corners, elytral base often pale.
Hippodamia oregonensis
- 🟡Hippodamia spp. - Elytral markings less angular, in many species; pronotum with white margin interrupted or reduced.
Hippodamia parenthesis
- 🔴Hippodamia lunatomaculata - Tooth of tarsal claw closely oppressed, more variable in pronunciation of pronotal and elytral markings, spotless more common. Dissection may be needed to identify northern specimens (ssp. dobzhanskyi).
- 🟡Hippodamia apicalis/H. expurgata - Elytron usually with black spots on the apex.
- 🟡Hippodamia arctica - Black elytral markings heavier, suture with black stripe.
- 🟢Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. spuria) - Pronotum with slanted white lines.
Hippodamia quindecimmaculata
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens - Elytra with weaker markings, sub-sctuellar spots small, rounded.
- 🟡Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. crotchi) - Elytra with spots merged vertically, not horizontally, sub-sctuellar spots absent
- 🟡Hippodamia glacialis - Sub-sctuellar spots absent
Hippodamia quinquesignata
- 🔴Hippodamia glacialis (ssp. lecontei) - Externally identical, but with some differences in pattern; pronotum without distinct white slanted markings.
- 🟡Hippodamia moesta - Subspecies H. m. bowditchi with elytral background colour often paler with markings generally heavier. There is overlap in pattern, making dissection necessary to identify the species. Forms of subspecies ambigua bearing slanted white markings on pronotum require dissection to to separate from subspecies H. m. politissima.
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens - Elytral spots usually isolated, pronotum with white margins uninterrupted. Some forms probably require dissection to identify the species.
- 🟡Hippodamia caseyi - With the combination of: pronotum with black notches on lateral margins, elongated T-shaped scutellum spot.
- 🟡Hippodamia oregonensis - Pronotum without notches on lateral margins, usually lacking slanted white discal spots, elytra
- 🟢Coccinella spp. - Most species with body more rounded and domed.
Hippodamia sinuata
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens - Elytra with sub-sctuellar spots, other spots rounder overall. Spotlessness much more common.
- 🟡Hippodamia fulgida - Pronotum with white basal spot.
- 🟡Hippodamia variegata - Pronotum usually with rounded white spots, elytral spots rounder overall, legs variably orange.
- 🟢Hippodamia parenthesis/lunatomaculata Pronotum with white basal spot.
- 🟢Paranaemia vittigera - Pronotum with two distinct black spots, elytral stripes merge near apex.
- 🟢Macronaemia episcopalis - Body more narrow, pronotum with two distinct black spots.
Hippodamia tredecimpunctata
- 🟡Hippodamia washingtoni - Elytra with scutellar spot T-shaped, legs black. Reduction or absence of elytral spots more common.
- 🟢Hippodamia convergens/H.variegata - Pronotum usually with discal area marked, elytra with 13 spots often not equal in size.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Body more rounded, pronotum with black M or trapezoid, elytron typically with kneel near the apex.
Hippodamia variegata
- 🟡Hippodamia convergens - Pronotum with slanted white markings, elytra often with all 13 spots or completely spotless (both forms less common in H. variegata), legs black.
- 🟡Hippodamia caseyi - Pronotum with white lateral margin with black notch, elytral spots heavier, often merged.
- 🟢Coccinella septempunctata - Body more rounded and domed, elytron with 3 spots evenly distributed.
Hippodamia washingtoni
- 🟡Hippodamia tredecimpunctata - Elytra with scutellar spot and sub-sctuellar spots isolated, legs orange. The reduction or absence of elytral spots rare.
- 🟡Hippodamia americana - Elytra with spots merged to form longitudinal stripes, suture also with black stripe.
Macronaemia episcopalis
- 🟡Paranaemia vittigera - Body broader, pronotal spots without narrow, intersecting stripe.
- 🟢Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. sinuata) - Pronotum with slanted white lines.
Mulsantina cyathigera
- 🟢Olla v-nigrum - Body rounder, elytron with spot formula 4:3:1.
Mulsantina hudsonica
- 🟡Mulsantina picta - Pronotum without black dash near anterior margin, elytra with markings usually meeting on suture, suture itself without black stripe.
Mulsantina luteodorsa
- 🟡Cycloneda munda - Pronotum with median white stripe much shorter and without vague kite shape.
- 🟢Cycloneda sanguinea - Pronotum with isolated white spots, elytra often red.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Prontoum with black ‘M’, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
Mulsantina picta
- 🟡Mulsantina quinquelineata - Pronotum with fewer markings, elytral markings paler, metasternum yellowish or reddish brown (except in Colorado and Utah). Dissection may be needed to distinguish some specimens to the species.
- 🟡Mulsantina hudsonica - Pronotum with black dash near anterior margin, elytral marking not meeting on suture, suture itself black.
- 🟡Adalia bipunctata - Spotless form: pronotum with fewer markings, frons with two white spots. Three rowed form: large spot on humeral callus.
- 🟡Aphidecta obliterata - Pronotum with fewer markings, suture often darkened.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Body rounder, prontoum with fewer markings, elytron usually with kneel near the apex.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Body more rounded, pronotum with rounded or macaroni-shaped white spots.
Mulsantina quinquelineata
- 🟡Mulsantina picta - Pronotum is more extensive markings, elytral markings darker, metasternum dark brown or black. Dissection may be needed to distinguish some specimens to the species.
Myzia interrupta
- 🟡Myzia subvittata - Usually darker overall, pronotum with black markings.
Myzia pullata
- 🟡Myzia subvittata - White area of pronotum without black spot.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Pronotum usually without isolated black area, elytra without brown streaking.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Pronotum with black ‘M’, elytra orange or red, without brown streaking.
Myzia subvittata
- 🟡Myzia pullata - White area of pronotum with black spot.
- 🟢Cycloneda spp. - Pronotum usually without isolated black area, elytra without brown streaking.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis (spotless) - Pronotum with black ‘M’, elytra orange or red, without brown streaking.
Naemia seriata
- 🟡Coleomegilla maculata - Pronotum with two isolated spots, elytra with apical spot divided along suture.
- 🟢Calvia quatuordecimguttata - Pink form: Body rounded, pronotum with two isolated spots.
- 🟢Hippodamia spp. - Pronotum white, contrasting the elytra.
- 🟢Neoharmonia venusta - Body rounder, elytra often with V-shaped marking along suture.
Neoharmonia marginalis
- 🟢Cycloneda sanguinea - Pronotum black and white, elytral margin pale.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum black and white, elytral margin pale.
Neoharmonia venusta
- 🟡Harmonia axyridis - Pronotum white, elytron with spot formula ½:2:3:3:1, elytron often with kneel near apex.
- 🟢Calvia quatuordecimguttata - Pink form: pronotum with two isolated spots.
- 🟢Olla v-nigrum - Pronotum white, elytron spot formula 4:3:1.
Olla v-nigrum
- 🟡Psyllobora plagiata - Elytron with first row of two spots.
- 🟢Mulsantina cyathigera - Body more elongated, elytron with spot pattern 1:3:2.
- 🟢Neoharmonia venusta - (Subspecies ampla) Pronotum red.
- 🟢Harmonia axyridis - Elytra red or orange with spot formula ½:2:3:3:1.
Paranaemia vittigera
- 🟢Macronaemia episcopalis - Body more narrow, pronotal spots with narrow, intersecting stripe.
- 🟢Hippodamia falcigera - Pronotum largely black, elytra with sickle-shaped lateral stripes.
- 🟢Hippodamia sinuata (ssp. sinuata) - Pronotum with slanted white lines, elytra with stripes not connecting at apex.
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata
- 🟢Psyllobora vigintimaculata - Elytra with rounder spots, parts of elytron tan.
- 🟢Anisosticta spp. - Body more elongated, elytra tan.
Psyllobora borealis
- 🟡Psyllobora vigintimaculata - Body narrower, median lateral often spot large, apical spots often merged with spots above, elytra. Western specimens with extremely large elytral markings.
- 🟡Psyllobora renifer - Elytral spots strongly merged and appear more organic, apical spots usually weak.
Psyllobora nana
- 🟡Psyllobora schwarzi - Suture with wider black stripe, elytral spots more square.
- 🟢Psyllobora parvinotata - Suture without black stripe or kite-shaped sutural spots.
- 🟢Psyllobora vigintimaculata - Suture without black stripe or kite-shaped sutural spots.
Psyllobora parvinotata
- 🟡Psyllobora vigintimaculata - Pronotum not uniformly yellow or without markings, elytral spots larger, merged, elytron with yellow patch. Specimens of P. parvinotata with heavy spots require dissection to identify.
- 🟢Psyllobora nana/P. schwarzi - Suture with black stripe. Both species known only from southeastern Florida.
Psyllobora plagiata
- 🟢Psyllobora vigintimaculata/P. renifer - Elytral spots more extensive.
- 🟢Mulsantina mucyathigera - Elytron with spot pattern 1:3:2.
- 🟢Olla v-nigrum - Body rounder, elytron with spot formula 4:3:1.
Psyllobora renifer
- 🟡Psyllobora vigintimaculata - Elytral spots more geometric, median lateral spot well-defined, apical spots stronger.
- 🟡Psyllobora borealis - Elytral spots more geometric, median lateral spot isolated.
Psyllobora schwarzi
- 🟡Psyllobora nana - Suture with narrower black stripe and two kite-shaped spots, other elytral spots more rounded.
- 🟢Psyllobora vigintimaculata/P. Parvinotata - Suture without black stripe.
Psyllobora vigintimaculata
- 🟡Psyllobora parvinotata - Pronotum sometimes uniformly yellow and without markings, elytral spot usually small, isolated, elytron without yellow patches(?). Restricted to US golf states, widespread in Florida. Specimens with heavy spots require dissection to identify.
- 🟡Psyllobora borealis - Body broader, median lateral spot small, apical spots strongly separated from spots above. Restricted to the western US and Canada.
- 🟡Psyllobora renifer - Elytral spots strongly merged and appear more organic, apical spots usually weak.
- 🟢Propylea quatuordecimpunctata - Colouration more yellow, elytral spots more square, suture usually with black stripe.
