Harlequin Ladybird vs Seven-spot Ladybird

The Harlequin Ladybird looks very different from one to another. Some are red or orange with black spots, while others are black with red spots. Most have between zero and twenty-one spots, but some have none at all. One way to recognise them is by the white area behind their head, which usually has a black pattern shaped like the letter M or a broken line. Adult Harlequin Ladybirds are 5 to 8 millimetres long, making them some of the biggest ladybirds found in Britain. This species comes from Asia. It was brought to Europe and first appeared in Britain in 2004. Since then, it has spread quickly across the country. Today, the Harlequin Ladybird is common all over England, Wales, and southern Scotland. It lives in gardens, parks, woods, and farmland. The Harlequin Ladybird likes places where there are lots of aphids to eat. It often spends the winter inside buildings, sometimes gathering in large groups. Because it has spread so well, there are worries that it might harm native ladybird species.

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.