VC40Ladybirds 🐞

3 ladybirds on a white plastic tray. Large red individual top right, small brown and black individual bottom right and medium sized brown individual left.

Nice to get a comparison shot of these 3 (somewhat) cooperative inconspicuous ladybirds at the Raven Nature Reserve, Wexford this evening. Coccidula rufa (top right), Nephus redtenbacheri (bottom right) and Rhyzobius litura (left).

High-resolution arthropod specimen with inset map of collection site in the bottom left corner, scale bar in the bottom right corner, and funder logo in the top right corner.

Our DNA library is made possible thanks to the support of our funding partners.

Today’s featured is the cream-spotted ladybird beetle (Calvia quatuordecimguttata) from Canada's Yukon territory. Its range spans across North America, Europe, and Asia.

L to R: 10-spot, Conifer (Scymnus suturalis) and Pine Ladybirds, tapped from Scots Pine at Llanymynech Rocks last Weds.

Three Nephus redtenbacheri (Red-patched Ladybird) and Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked Ladybird) from today’s misty mooch in SW Shropshire with @vc40orthops.bsky.social. It’s the most SW record for Red-flanked in Shropshire so far! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

There’s a 7-spot next to the Harley. Can’t see anything else…

The recent warm sunny weather brought out the insects, and in Rainham Riverside I found a Larch Ladybird, the Lygaeid bug Oxycarenus modestus, dozens of Mottled Shieldbugs, and over ten 2-Spot Ladybirds. #Ladybirds #Lygaeidae #Shieldbugs

A chilly and dull mooch this pm in north Shropshire, finding Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly Ladybird), R. chrysomeloides (Arboreal Ladybird), Hippodamia variegata (Adonis Ladybird), and Scymnus haemorrhoidalis (Red-rumped Ladybird) amongst others #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

Orange Ladybirds hibernating in the shelter of an 'artichoke gall' induced by the gall midge Taxomyia taxi on Yew in the local cemetery this afternoon. #galls #Ladybird

The way I remember it is, we (normally) have 2 kidneys, so 2 red spots = Kidney-spot 😊

That's gorgeous!! 😍

クロジュウニホシテントウ
Plotina versicolor Lewis, 1896

アカガシQuercus acuta Thunb. の樹皮下にて。

Migratory ladybird, Harmonia axyridis on the 185 to Victoria.

Seven spot ladybirds emerging from hibernation in a small conifer in a sunny spot in the garden #ladybirds #WildWednesday #GardenInsects

A black ladybird with red spots on a white and brown Silver Birch trunk

I was out for a heathland walk with a school group earlier and after we’d spotted lots of 7-spot Ladybirds, one of the children saw this fab little Heather Ladybird 🐞 Top nature detectives!

#UKLadybirds #Ladybird
#DailyNature

🐞 Ladybirds don’t just brighten gardens. Their bold colours and gentle movements invite you to pause, look closer and reconnect with nature’s small wonders, boosting your mood. ☀️
Share your sightings to help our citizen science survey #SignsofSpring buff.ly/hEjHwYr

With @rsb.org.uk

Eyed Ladybird on a gravestone yesterday. Very dangerous at this time of year, ‘Beware the Eyeds of March’. 😂.

AI always gives ladybirds too many legs... 🙄

A Tachinid expert has confirmed that it looks like a phasiine egg, so most likely a case of 'wrong place at the wrong time'!

Red Marsh Ladybird: small narrow rufous coloured beetle with long antennae on a pale plastic background.

#LadybirdYearList Species #12: a Red Marsh Ladybird (Coccidula rufa) swept from tall pond side vegetation at Cornmill Meadows in the Lee Valley today. Surprisingly I did not see this common species last year, so pleased to catch up with it early this year. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

In hindsight, I ought have collected the ladybird, but it's never my first instinct to do so! So, is it a Tachinid egg? Has the fly laid it on the wrong target? I tried carefully removing it, but it was stuck fast! #VC40Ladybirds

On Friday, I found this 24-spot Ladybird (Subcoccinella 24-punctata), with what looks like a Tachinid egg on it. I know Medina separata attacks the Coccinellidae, but they usually lay eggs under the elytra. This ladybird also has a white substance on the face (+ a baby springtail on the pronotum...)

Completely flunked the focus (as usual!), but was surprised to find paired Meadow Ladybirds (Rhyzobius litura) yesterday. I've found paired 7-spot and Pine Ladybirds early in the year, but this is a first for me!
#VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

First butterfly of the year @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social around with Adonis and Pine ladybirds today

7 spot ladybirds on holly.

🌼 A Search for Spring 🌱☀️
On the Trans Pennine Trail Wednesday – saw 2 Brimstone & Peacock butterfly, a Queen Buff tailed bee and plenty of 7 spot ladybirds all firsts for the year but NO hoverflies yet 😢....
#Pollinators #Nature #Springvibes #Butterflies #beetles #ladybirds #Bees

Really odd! Never seen one with dark spots!

Rather rough looking Eyed Ladybird, a red beetle with black spots each faintly ringed with yellow

Rear view of a hibernating Eyed Ladybird, a red beetle with black spots each faintly ringed with yellow, next to a smaller Orange Ladybird with white spots

Side view of a strange-looking Orange ladybird, with small black spots and faint paler markings

Dorsal view of a strange-looking Orange ladybird, with small black spots and faint paler markings

Short scan of gravestones at Cowpen cemetery in Blyth, #Northumberland today resulting in an addition to my #LadybirdYearList:

8. Eyed Ladybird

First time at this location for me. Also this odd-looking specimen. I guess it’s an aberrant Orange Ladybird, but never seen any as peculiar as this.

Yellow beetle with black spots on green background

Beautiful 22-spot Ladybird, Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata, looking so bright and pristine in the sun today.

A damp mooch this pm, finding Coccidula rufa (Red Marsh Ladybird), Rhyzobius chrysomeloides (Arboreal Ladybird),Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked Ladybird) and Scymnus haemorrhoidalis (Red-rumped Ladybird) amongst others! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

I'll see your 22-spot and raise you a 24-spot...also yesterday. 🙂

Little beauty! 😍