Seven-spot Ladybird

The 7-spot ladybird is the most common ladybird in Britain. It is easy to recognise by its bright red wing covers, which have seven black spots – three on each side plus one shared spot at the front. Adults are 5 to 8 millimetres long and have a distinctive black and white patterned area behind the head. Both the young and adults eat large numbers of aphids, which makes them useful visitors in gardens. This ladybird is found all over the British Isles. It lives in almost any place where aphids are found, such as gardens, hedgerows, grasslands, edges of woodlands, and farmland. The adults spend the winter in leaf litter, grass clumps, or buildings, often gathering in groups. They are active from March to October and are often seen resting on plants in sunny weather. The 7-spot ladybird was brought to North America to help control pests and has now become established across that continent.