Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus, 1758) commonly known as “7 spot ladybird”
Body length 5 to 8mm
Family: Coccinellidae
The seven spot Ladybird is one of the most common if not the commonest Ladybird in Europe, appearing in various sizes and colour forms (usually red but occasionally yellow); number of spots normally seven but this can vary from 0 to 9 spots.
A very common and widespread Ladybird throughout the world, it was introduced to the United States, no doubt to help control aphids.
Active throughout the year but mainly March to early November, dormant in the colder months of winter occasionally in large groups, in crevasses of buildings, all sorts of cavities including hollow stems of plants.
Habitat: Various and mainly wherever its food source of aphids’ lives, as both larvae and adults feed mainly on aphids.

The distinctive spots and bright colours make them unappealing to most predators. When threatened the species can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste.

Life cycle of the ladybird consists of four complete stages, egg, larva, which goes through a series of moults, the pupa; from which the larva develops into an adult. The female lays her eggs in batches of up to forty eggs.