Ladybirds (Coccinellidae)

Lady Birds (or Lady Beetles, sometimes even called Lady Bugs) are beetles which are very easy to identify: small, round bodies and usually red with black spots or the other way around. Perhaps they are the insects most people like best. Who hasn't been playing with these creatures being a child? Just put one on your hand, point upwards and the little creature, trying to find the highest point, will be running to the top of your vinger, where it will expose its wings and fly off. There are many more species in this family than most people realize. Most species can be identified by counting the dots on the shields. Those dots do not tell you what age the animal is (usually they live for just one year or shorter), but are good clues for naming the species. However one should be very careful, for there are a few species which are extremely variable. One of the most common species, the Two-spotted Lady Beetle, for instance is red with two black dots in its typical outfit. But some have more than just two black dots and the black dots can even be connecting, thus looking like dark stripes, hooks or lines. On the other hand the basic colour may be black instead of red. Some have two black dots on the red shields, but others might have four or even six black dots! Ladybirds all have colours to warn off predators. Colours like combinations of red and black or yellow and black are typical warning colours, just like in let's say wasps. And it works, for you will never see a bird eating a Ladybeetle, for they have a very bad taste and are slightly poisonous.