| Lady beetles | ||||||||||||||
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Asian multicolored lady beetle | ||||||||||||||
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Subfamily Coccidulinae Tribe Lithophilini Lithophilus Tribe Monocorynini Mimolithophilus Monocoryna Tribe Coccidulini Adoxellus Auladoria Botynella Bucolinus Bucolus Bura Coccidula Cranoryssus Empia Epipleuria Eupalea Erithionyx Eupaleoides Geodimmockius Hazisia Hypoceras Microrhizobius Mimoscymnus Nothocolus Nothorhyzobius Orbipressus Orynipus Paracranoryssus Planorbata Psorolyma Rhyzobius Rodatus Stenadalia Stenococcus Syntona Tribe Noviini Anovia Eurodolia Novius Rodolia Vedalia Tribe Poriini Poria Tribe Exoplectrini Ambrocharis Anisorhizobius Aulis Chapinella Chnoodes Coeliaria Cyrtaulis Dioria Discoceras Exoplectra Neorhizobius Neoryssomus Hovaulis Oridia Peralda Rhizoryssomus Siola Sumnius Tribe Azyini Azya Pseudoazya Tribe Cranophorini Cassiculus Cranophorus Tribe Oryssomini Oryssomus Pseudoryssomus Subfamily Coccinellinae Tribe Singhikalini Singhikalia Tribe Coccinellini Aages Adalia Ailocaria Alloneda Anatis Anisolemnia Anisosticta Antineda Anegleis Aphidecta Archegleis Australoneda Autotela Bothrocalvia Callicaria Calvia Cheilomenes Chloroneda Cirocolla Cleobora Clynis Coccinella Chelonitis Coccinella Coccinula Coelophora Coleomegilla Cycloneda Declivitata Docimocaria Dysis Egleis Eoadalia Eoanemia Eriopis Erythroneda Eumegilla Harmonia Heterocaria Heteroneda Hippodamia Hysia Illeis Lemnia Lioadalia Macronaemia Megalocaria Megillina Micraspis Microcaria Microneda Mononeda Mulsantina Myrrha Myzia Naemia Neda Nedina Neocalvia Neoharmonia Nesis Oenopia Oiocaria Olla Oxytella Palaeoneda Paranaemia Phrynolemnia Procula Propylea Pseudadonia Pseudoenopia Sospita Sphaeroneda Spiloneda Synona Synonycha Xanthadalia Tribe Halyziini Eothea Halyzia Macroilleis Metamyrrha Microneda Neohalyzia Oxytella Protothea Psyllobora Vibidia Tribe Tytthaspidini Bulaea Isora Tytthaspis Tribe Discotomini Discotoma Euseladia Pristonema Seladia Vodella Subfamily Scymninae Tribe Aspidimerini Acarinus Aspidimerus Cryptogonus Pseudaspidimerus Tribe Stethorini Stethorus Parastethorus Tribe Scymnini Acoccidula Aponephus Apseudoscymnus Axinoscymnus Clitostethus Cryptolaemus Cycloscymnus Cyrema Didion Horniolus Keiscymnus Leptoscymnus Midus Nephaspis Nephus Depressoscymnus Geminosipho Nephus Parascymnus Scymnobius Sidis Parasidis Propiptus Pseudoscymnus Scymniscus Scymnodes Scymnomorpha Scymnus Veronicobius Tribe Diomini Decadiomus Diomus Heterodiomus Magnodiomus Erratodiomus Tribe Scymnillini Viridigloba Zagloba Zilus Tribe Selvadiini Selvadius Tribe Hyperaspidini Blaisdelliana Corystes Helesius Hyperaspidius Hyperaspis Thalassa Tiphysa Tribe Brachiacanthadini Brachiacantha Cyra Hinda Tribe Pentiliini Calloeneis Curticornis Pentilia Tribe Cryptognathini Cryptognatha Subfamily Ortaliinae Tribe Ortaliini Amida Amidellus Anortalia Azoria Cinachyra Ortalia Ortalistes Paramida Rhynchortalia Scymnhova Zenoria Subfamily Chilocorinae Tribe Telsimiini Hypocyrema Telsimia Tribe Platynaspidini Crypticolus Platynaspis Tribe Chilocorini Anisorcus Arawana Axion Brumoides Brumus Chilocorus Cladia Curinus Egius Endochilus Exochomus Halmus Harpasus Orcus Parapriasus Phaenochilus Priasus Priscibrumus Simmondsius Trichorcus Xanthocorus Zagreus Subfamily Sticholotidinae Tribe Sukunahikonini Hikonasukuna Orculus Paraphellus Tribe Cephaloscymnini Aneaporia Cephaloscymnus Neaporia Prodilis Prodiloides Tribe Microweiseini Coccidophilus Cryptoweisea Dichaina Diloponis Gnathoweisea Microcapillata Microfreudea Microweisea Nipus Pseudosmilia Sarapidus Stictospilus Tribe Carinodulini Carinodula Carinodulina Carinodulinka Tribe Serangiini Catana Catanella Delphastus Microserangium Serangiella Serangium Tribe Shirozuellini Ghanius Medamatento Promecopharus Sasajiella Shirozuella Tribe Plotinini Ballida Buprestodera Catanaplotina Haemoplotina Paraplotina Plotina Protoplotina Sphaeroplotina Tribe Sticholotidini Boschalis Bucolellus Chilocorellus Coelolotis Coelopterus Filipinolotis Glomerella Habrolotis Hemipharus Jauravia Lenasa Lotis Mimoserangium Neaptera Nelasa Neojauravia Neotina Nesina Nesolotis Nexophallus Paracoelopterus Parajauravia Paranelasa Paranesolotis Parinesa Pharopsis Pharoscymnus Phlyctenolotis Semiviride Sticholotis Stictobura Sulcolotis Synonychimorpha Trimallena Xamerpillus Xanthorcus Xestolotis Tribe Limnichopharini Limnichopharus Tribe Argentipilosini Argentipilosa Subfamily Epilachninae Tribe Epilachnini Adira Afidenta Afidentula Afissula Afilachna Chnootriba Epilachna Henosepilachna Macrolasia Subafissa Subcoccinella Toxotoma Tribe Epivertini Epiverta Tribe Madaini Bambusicola Cynegetis Damatula Lorma Mada Malata Megatela Merma Pseudodira Tropha Tribe Eremochilini Eremochilus |
Ladybirds (Commonwealth English), also known as ladybugs (American English) or lady beetles (some scientists favor this) are a family, Coccinellidae ("little sphere"), of beetles. Ladybirds are found worldwide, with over 4,500 species described, more than 450 native to North America alone. Ladybirds are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm, and are usually yellow, orange, or red with small black spots on their carapace, and black legs, head and feelers. As the family name suggests, they are usually quite round in shape.
Ladybirds are extremely beneficial to organic gardeners because most species are carnivorous, consuming aphids, fruit flies, thrips, and other tiny plant-sucking insects that damage crops. In fact, their name is derived from "Beetle of Our Lady", recognizing their role in saving crops from destruction. Today they are commercially available from a variety of suppliers.
Adult ladybirds are able to reflex-bleed from their leg joints. The blood is yellow, with a strong repellent smell, and is quite obvious when one handles a ladybird roughly.
The ladybird is immortalised in the children's nursery rhyme:
Notable species: (note, not all individuals show the number of spots suggested by their names)
Ladybird is also a British children's clothing label of the 1960s and 1970s
Ladybird Books is a children's book publisher, based in Loughborough, England, noted for publishing small-format, short hardcovers illustrated in full colour, with some condensed from classic children's novels.
Ladybird, Ladybird (1995), is a movie directed by Ken Loach, about a woman losing custody of her four children.