Ladybirds are shaped like a ball, from under which the short legs and antennae protrude. The beetles are usually colored black, red, yellow and orange and have dots.
Also known as:
Ladybugs (North America)
Lady beet
- Biopesticide against aphids
Ladybirds (Coccinellidae) belong to the beetles (Coleoptera) and can be recognized by the wing cases (elytra). Ladybirds are shaped like a ball, from under which the short legs and antennae protrude. The beetles are usually colored black, red, yellow or orange and have dots. Some 60 species of ladybirds can be found in Belgium and the Netherlands, ranging in size from 2 to 10 millimeters. The beetles and larvae (adalias) are predators, and aphids are at the top of the menu. There are also a few species of herbivorous ladybirds.
Ladybirds live to be about one year old. The dots say nothing about age.
The native species hibernate in nature: in leaf litter, in the hollow stems of spent perennials or in compost heaps. In early spring, ladybirds become active again as temperatures rise.
The Asian ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is native to East Asia and once brought to Europe to control aphids. Meanwhile, the Asian ladybird is an invasive species native to all of Europe.
