Wildlife
Seven-spot ladybirds are, or should be, a gardener's best friend as they are natural allies against devastating aphids. These beautiful beetles, and their larvae in particular, are avid and very active aphid predators, devouring more than 5,000 during their year-long life. The seven-spot is easily one of Britain's most common and easily recognised beetles. As well as across their natural range in Europe, seven-spots now live wild in North America where they were introduced to help control aphid pests.
Did you know?
Seven-spot ladybirds can devour more than 5000 aphids during their year-long life.
Scientific name: Coccinella septempunctata
Rank: Species
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Ant vs ladybird
Ants tend aphids like a shepherd tends his sheep.
David Attenborough looks at aphids and their relationship with ants in a garden. The ants protect the aphids from a predatory ladybird.
Aphid attack
When aphids attack farm crops their damage isn't stopped by ladybirds, but by an unsung hero.
When aphids attack farm crops their damage isn't stopped by ladybirds, but by an unsung hero.
The Seven-spot ladybird can be found in a number of locations including: Europe, North America, United Kingdom, Wales. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Seven-spot ladybird distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or "C-7"), is the most common ladybird in Europe. Its elytra are of a red colour, but punctuated with three black spots each, with one further spot being spread over the junction of the two, making a total of seven spots, from which the species derives both its common and scientific names (from the Latin septem = "seven" and punctus = "spot").
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From badgers to butterflies and frogs to foxes, garden wildlife is both varied and surprising.
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Oak wood
Farmland
Brownfield land
Chalk grassland
Coastal
Beech wood
Heathland
Hedgerows
Wildflower meadow
Mediterranean forest
Mountain grassland
Moorland
Parkland
Broadleaf forest
Coniferous forest
Temperate grassland
Urban
Wetlands
Predation defence
Warning colours
Carnivorous
Adapted to flying
Hibernation
Metamorphosis
Egg layer
Predator
Visual communication