Coccinella septempunctata

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Coccinella septempunctata
7-Spotted-Ladybug-Coccinella-septempunctata-sq1.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Coccinella
Species:
C. septempunctata
Binomial name
Coccinella septempunctata
Synonyms
  • Coccinella (Coccinella) septempunctataLinnaeus, 1758
  • Coccinella algericaKovář, 1977
  • Coccinella bruckiMulsant, 1866
  • Coccinella divaricataOlivier, 1808
  • Coccinella confusaWiedemann, 1823

Coccinella septempunctata, the common ladybug, the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or "C-7" [1] ), is a carnivorous beetle native to Europe, most of Asia, and North Africa. It inhabits many regions with a temperate climate. [2] [3] The beetle has been introduced to several other areas, including North America as a biological pest control agent to combat aphid infestations. The seven-spot ladybird is one of roughly 5,000 species of ladybird worldwide. [4] Bauer states that because of C. septempunctata's ability to adapt to many different habitats, it is "one of the most successful aphidophagous insects". [5]

Contents

C. septempunctata was described and named in 1758 by Swedish biologist, Carl Linnaeus. The genus, coccinella comes from the Latin coccineus , which refers to the colour "scarlet". The species, septempunctata derives its common and binomial nomenclature from the Latin septem , meaning "seven", and punctus , meaning "spot". [6]

C. septempunctata's elytra are red in colour, with three black spots on each wing. A further spot appears where the two wings join, giving a total of seven black spots. [5] The C. septempunctata's principal diet is aphids, which are essential for development and reproduction. When aphid populations are scarce, the seven-spot ladybirds will feed on alternate food sources, for example, pollen, nectar, thrips and whitefly. [7] C. septempunctata predators include birds, small mammals, spiders and other Coccinellidae. [5]

Description

The shape of an adult Coccinella septempunctata is oval and convex. It has a body length of 6.5–7.8 mm (0.26–0.31 in) and a width of about 4 mm (0.16 in), [5] [8] with orange-red elytra (forewings) and seven black spots on the elytra. One black spot is next to the beetle's scutellum where the two elytra join, and two white patches feature just above this black spot. The remaining six black spots are distributed across the elytra, three on each wing. The size and position of the six spots on the elytra may vary from ladybird to ladybird. Spot fusions and melanic forms are rare. In addition, C. septempunctata has two white spots on the front of the pronotum on each side of the inner edge of its eyes. The underside of the beetle's abdomen, the pronotum, and its legs are black. Male seven-spot ladybirds have some hair on their last abdominal segment. [5] [9] [10]

C. septempunctata eggs are 1 mm (0.04 in) long, orange or yellow in colour, and spindle shaped. [5] [8]

Larval instars

Newly-hatched small larva of Coccinella septempunctata Newly-hatched small larva of Coccinella septempunctata.jpg
Newly-hatched small larva of Coccinella septempunctata

The newly-hatched larva of C. septempunctata's first instar is 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) long, but increases to about 8 mm (0.31 in) with each successive moulting. [8] They are highly segmented and can vary in colour depending on the temperature, although they are generally dull black with a pale brown line along the dorsal side of the abdomen. The tubercules and hairs are sparse and small. The legs are relatively long and lighten towards the end. [5] The C. septempunctata's fourth instar is dark grey to black with black tubercles emitting fine hairs. On the first and fourth abdominal segments, the dorso- and ventro-lateral tubercles are orange, and the meso- and metathorax are a pale grey. [9] [10]

The C. septempunctata pupa are about 6 mm (0.24 in) long, [8] and the colour varies from grey to black, but can often be pale orange with dark triangle-shaped marks across the middle, with four dark spots on the anterior. The black pigment in the pupa's colours decreases as the temperature changes during its development. [10] The pupa's exoskeleton develops during the fourth instar, and is hard and roughly the same size of a full grown seven-spot ladybug. [5]

Reproduction and lifecycle

The Coccinella septempunctata has a four-stage life cycle: egg → larva (four instars) → pupa → adult. The cycle time from egg through to adult ladybird is about six weeks. C. septempunctata can breed up to five generations per year. [8]

The breeding season begins towards the end of spring, and reproduction is via copulation. The ladybirds start breeding as soon as they reach sexual maturity, which is ten to fourteen days after emerging from the pupa as an adult. Courtship is initiated by male ladybirds, but immature females, and those ready to lay their eggs will resist a male's advances. Females have been documented to release volatile sex pheromones ("calling behaviour") to attract males, a phenomenon previously undescribed in this widespread species. Recently mated females are less likely to call than unmated females, while the presence of other ladybirds does not appear to influence calling frequency. [11] The seven-spot ladybird breeding is polygynandrous, and during her lifespan, female ladybirds mate with multiple males, which increases fecundity, the viability of her eggs, and the percentage of successful offspring. [12] [5]

Seven-spot ladybirds mating Coccinella septempunctata couple (aka).jpg
Seven-spot ladybirds mating

In summer, female C. septempunctata with fertilized eggs will start laying them in clusters of about ten to thirty, on leaves, stems and other vegetation. [8] Using olfactory signals, she avoids laying them in areas that already have C. septempunctata eggs. This species often produces more eggs than the environment can support, which increases offspring mortality, but is beneficial when aphid populations are high. Female ladybirds will normally lay between 250 and 500 eggs in their lifetime. [5] [12]

C. septempunctata larvae hatch from the eggs after about four days, but this period is dependent on ambient temperatures. The species has four progressively larger instars, whose lengths are influenced by temperature and the availability of aphids. The larvae begins eating their egg shells, and then any infertile eggs nearby. As they develop, the larvae start feeding on aphid fluids, then progress to eating aphids. When it is ready to pupate, the fourth instar stops feeding for a day and attaches its abdomen to the substrate. The C. septempunctata pupal stage lasts for about eight days, after which the ladybird emerges with soft elytra and no pigmentation. The black and red colours of the beetle's elytra develop from melanins, and the lighter colours evolve from carotenes. [5] [12]

C. septempunctata do not provide any parental care for their young. The role of male ladybirds is purely to impregnate females, while the role of female ladybirds is only to produce eggs and deposit them on safe substrates with sufficient food for the larvae. Adult C. septempunctata have a lifespan of about one to two years, which is dependent on how they survive hibernation. [5] [12]

Behavior and ecology

Coccinella septempunctata has motility and can fly. The species is active during daylight hours and is dormant at night. During hibernation, seven-spot ladybird adults gather in clusters for warmth and protection, and to ensure that when they exit diapause, the local population provides potential mates for breeding. C. septempunctata emits a pheromone to attract other ladybirds to the overwintering site, and this particular chemical cue has been identified as 2-isopropyl-3-methoxy-pyrazine. [5] C. septempunctata also uses chemical cues to locate prey. Aphids release a pheromone to warn other aphids of preditors, which attracts seven-spot ladybirds. C. septempunctata are also attracted to chemical cues released by some plants when they are infested with aphids. [5]

Diet

Aphids on a plant host; aphids are the seven-spot ladybird's staple diet 2012.10.19.-25-Mannheim Vogelstang-Blattlaeuse.jpg
Aphids on a plant host; aphids are the seven-spot ladybird's staple diet

The staple diet of the Coccinella septempunctata adult and its larva is aphids, which is essential for development and reproduction. They consume at least twenty-four different species of aphid. [7] Some aphid species, for example Aphis sambuci and Macrosiphum albifrons , are toxic to seven-spot ladybirds. [7] C. septempunctata are carnivorous and polyphagous, [5] although not as broadly polyphagous as other ladybird species like Harmonia axyridis and Coleomegilla maculata , which are able to successfully develop and reproduce on a diet of non-aphid food. Aphid populations are seasonal, and peak in spring and early summer. When aphids become scarce, C. septempunctata will feed on alternative sources of food when survival takes precedence over reproduction. [7] Alternate food sources include pollen, nectar, thysanoptera, aleyrodidae, cicadellidae, psyllidae larvae, and some beetle and butterfly larvae and eggs. [13] [5] C. septempunctata larvae will also feed on other coccinellidae larvae if there is a shortage of aphids. Some adult seven-spot ladybirds will even resort to eating conspecific eggs and larvae. Bauer states that "Intraguild predation and cannibalism are major pressures in this species and family." [5]

C. septempunctata is generally euryphagous in its ability to eat alternative sources of food. In preparation for overwintering, and when aphid populations have declined, seven-spot ladybirds will feed on the flowering plant pollen of Compositae and Umbelliferae, and on fungal spores to build up energy reserves of body fat to survive the winter. When C. septempunctata surface from diapause in response to raising temperatures, they will eat the nectar of flowering plants, like Prunus spinosa . [7]

Some species of ants are beneficial to C. septempunctata because they farm aphids. [12] Aphids secrete a sugary honeydew from the terminations of their alimentary canals, which the ants feed on. Ants will also "milk" aphids by stroking them with their antennae. Ants gather and store aphid eggs in the ants' nests during the winter months, and in spring, when the aphid eggs have hatched, they carry the hatchlings to plants to suck sap from them and excrete honeydew. [14] [15]

Predators and parasites

Known predators of Coccinella septempunctata are birds, small mammals, spiders and other Coccinellidae. [5] Other insects, for example, lacewings will feed on ladybird eggs. C. septempunctata's fourth larval instar is particularly vulnerable to predation, and many larvae are lost during this stage. But adult C. septempunctata have few enemies in nature due to effective anti-predator adaptations. Their distinctive high contrast black and orange spots and conspicuous colours deter potential predators. The species is also able to emit a fluid from their leg joints, giving the beetle a foul taste. When a ladybird is threatened, it sometimes plays dead and secretes the foul-tasting substance for protection. [16] The toxic alkaloids that C. septempunctata synthesizes are N-oxide coccinelline and the alkaloid's free base, precoccinelline. Depending on the seven-spot ladybird's gender and diet, the black spot size and its colours can indicate how toxic each individual insect appears to potential predators. [17]

Often C. septempunctata become hosts to a number of parasites. Parasitic wasps, in particular Dinocampus coccinellae and Perilitus coccinellae, regularly target the larvae of seven-spot ladybirds. P. coccinellae synchronises its development with C. septempunctata lavae, and even enters and exists diapause in step with its host. D. coccinellae deposits its eggs in body cavities of female C. septempunctata, which hatch and consume the ladybird's eggs. These wasp larvae remain in the host, often in a ladybird's leg, until they pupate and emerge nine days later. It has been reported that some adult C. septempunctata are able to recover from this parasitism and resume their lifecycle. [17]

Distribution, habitat and status

Coccinella septempunctata was described and named in 1758 by Swedish biologist, Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his book, Systema Naturae. The species has a broad ecological range, and inhabits regions with a temperate climate, abundant vegetation, and concentrations of aphids for it to eat. [18] [3] The beetle originated in many areas across the Palearctic realm, [19] and is currently found throughout Europe (including the British Isles and European Russia), most of Asia (including the Middle East, China, Japan, the Koreas, India and Pakistan), and North Africa. The seven-spot ladybird has also been introduced to several areas, including North America (the United States and Canada), and South Africa. [9] [20]

In some areas, especially in Europe, C. septempunctata populations are on the decline due to the harlequin or Asian ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis). This invasive species is more resistant to diseases than C. septempunctata, and outcompetes the native ladybirds for resources and even eats them. [21] In the United Kingdom, the Asian ladybeetle first arrived on the English south coast in 2004. It had been introduced to Holland, Belgium and France as a pest control agent, but began to multiply uncontrollably. The UK Ladybird Survey has been monitoring the harlequin's expansion across England, and reported that it could potentially wipe out the indigenous seven-spot ladybirds. [22]

The seven-spot ladybird frequents a wide variety of habitats, particularly those where large numbers of aphids are present. These include forests, grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes, and suburban parks and gardens. Host plants can include herbaceous plants, crops, and many types of trees and shrubs. They have been found at elevations ranging from sea level to an altitude of 1,500 m (4,900 ft). [5] C. septempunctata adults are active during spring and summer, but become dormant during the colder months. They overwinter or hibernate anywhere they can find shelter, but generally prefer elevated areas like hilltops. [7] Overwintering sites include under tree bark and boulders, in hedgerows, densely packed grass, and leaf litter in parks, gardens and forest edges. [5] [10] Adults emerge from their shelters as ambient temperatures begin to raise. although the timing of these awakenings can vary from one hibernation site to another, depending on their degree of shelter from the elements. [7]

C. septempunctata's conservation status has not been evaluated, [12] and it does appear on the IUCN Red List or in any of the CITES databases. It is distributed widely across Europe and Asia, and is regarded as an invasive species in areas where it has been introduced. [5]

Interaction with humans

Introductions and biological control

A number of attempts were made to introduce Coccinella septempunctata to North America between 1956 and 1971 as a biological pest control agent to reduce aphid numbers. It was not until June 1973 that the species was found to have permanently established itself in the United States when a population of them was spotted in New Jersey, apparently accidentally introduced by way of waste from John F. Kennedy International Airport dumped nearby. Since then, the seven-spot ladybird has colonised the entire United States, and southern Canada. [9] [2]

C. septempunctata breeding programs have been established around the world to mass-rear seven-spot ladybirds for release on agricultural land to control aphids. [23] The beetles are typically reared on a natural diet of aphids, which also involves having to rear aphids, or on an artificial diet of proteins like rape pollen beetle, honey and shrimp. Using a natural diet is the preferred approach because it generally produces healthier ladybirds with good fecundity, although research into improving artificial diets is ongoing. [24] [25] C. septempunctata breeding normally takes place in controlled environments with regulated temperatures, humidity and light conditions. Problems of ladybirds eating their eggs and larval instar is overcome by regularly moving egg masses and larvae to separate areas. [23]

The introduction of nonnative ladybird species like C. septempunctata and the harlequin or Asian ladybeetle ( Harmonia axyridis ) to areas like North America has resulted in the sharp decline many native species, including other Coccinella . The invasive species have outcompeted the native species for resources, and in some US states, have dominated up to 90% of the coccinellid population. In many instances, these nonnative species have engaged in intraguild predation. [26] While beneficial in controlling aphid infestations, the introduction of these nonnative species is suspected to have had an impact on the area's ecosystem health, and the hidden benefits of these displaced native species are lost. [5]

Another negative impact of C. septempunctata and H. axyridis is their increasing presence in vineyards around the world. They sometimes get harvested with the grapes and taint the resulting wine, referred to as a "ladybug taint". [27] The compound released by the ladybirds responsible for this tainting is 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which gives the wine a "very potent" [27] "green, bell pepper-, and peanut-like aroma and flavor". [28] This contamination has devalued wines from affected regions, and these ladybirds have been labelled "one of the greatest threats to the industry". [27] Several approaches have been adopted to prevent this tainting, including eliminating the beetles from the vineyards, and treating the wine to counteract the invasive alkyl-methoxypyrazines. [28]

Population explosions

Swarms of C septempunctata invaded England during a heatwave in 1976. The British Entomological and Natural History Society estimated that by late July that year, 23.65 billion seven-spot ladybirds swarmed across the country's eastern and southern coasts. [29] [30] The population explosion had occurred because of a warm spring that resulted in an increase in the number of aphids, the ladybirds' main source of food. As the hot weather dried the plants on which the aphids fed, the aphid populations declined, which caused the ladybirds to swarm to try to find food elsewhere. The swarms congregated at the coastal resorts, because they were unable to cross the sea. Healthy ladybirds can normally fly up to 120 km (75 mi) at an altitude of 1,000 m (3,300 ft), and crossing the English Channel would not have been a problem. But in this instance, they were too exhausted and hungry to travel any further. [29] Locals called 1976 "the year of the ladybird". [4] One holidaymaker recalled that "everywhere one put one's foot, it was thick with ladybirds. The posts along the sea-front holding up the chains were completely smothered." [29] People were also bitten by ladybirds, which the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology explained were attempts by the beetles to rehydrate themselves. [29]

The British Entomological and Natural History Society stated that population explosions of the seven-spot ladybird generally happen "about once every 15 years". [29] The weather conditions in 1990 were conducive for another large swarm, but a parasite had destroyed large numbers of ladybird pupae, and a swarm never happened. [29] The biggest invasion since 1976 occurred in English coastal towns in July 2025. [31] The "very high numbers" of ladybirds were attributed to the hot weather and the increase in the aphid population. The insects briefly disrupted play at a test cricket match between England and India on 10 July at Lord's. [32] The English vice-captain Ollie Pope called the interruption "a first in sport" and added, "I've never seen that ... That's a first that the crowd have got that today." [31] But numbers of ladybirds seen on this occasion were no where near those seen in 1976 due to improved stability of the crops. [33]

In culture

According to some legends, farmers in the Middle Ages called upon the Virgin Mary to help protect their crops against insects. Red beetles with black spots arrived and ate the destructive insects. Farmers called the beetles "helpers" and "The Beetle of Our Lady", which became "ladybug" and "ladybird". It was believed that the red wings of the beetles represented the red cloak that the Virgin Mary is often seen wearing in paintings, and the seven spots represented the seven joys and sorrows of Mary. [34] [6] [4]

C. septempunctata on a 2017 Indian stamp Stamp of India - 2017 - Colnect 696268 - Seven spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata.jpeg
C. septempunctata on a 2017 Indian stamp

In Malta, the ladybird is believed to have been born when the Virgin Mary pricked her finger with a rose thorn at the crucifixion. A black beetle flew under Mary's finger and turned red when a drop of her blood landed on it. Then seven of Mary's tears washed away some of the blood, leaving behind seven spots on its back. The Maltese originally called ladybirds kola, but changed it to nannakola after a nursery rhyme "Nanna Kola" (Grandmother Kola) became popular in the early 20th century. In Sweden, ladybirds are called nyckelpiga, or "key helper", because it was believed that their seven spots represented the seven virtues, and that they held the keys to unlock the kingdom of heaven for the Virgin Mary. In Spain, ladybirds are called mariquita or marieta, names derived from Maria, the Virgin Mary. [6]

C. septempunctata has been designated the national insect of Finland. [36] The seven-spotted ladybug is also the official insect in five states in the United States, namely, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, Ohio and Tennessee. New York state has another species of ladybug as their official state insect, the nine-spotted ladybug ( C. novemnotata ). [37]

C. septempunctata has featured on postage stamps from many countries, including Switzerland, Finland, Malta, Croatia, Algeria, Israel, Iraq, China and India. [38]

Subspecies

Three subspecies of Coccinella septempunctata have been described: [39]

C. s. septempunctata is found in Europe, C. s. brucki in Japan, and C. s. algerica in Algeria. C. s. brucki and C. s. algerica were originally considered to be the distinct species, Coccinella brucki and Coccinella algerica respectively, but were later found to be subspecies of C. septempunctata. [19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus,1758:365). Seven-spotted lady beetle; Seven-spotted ladybug". Discover Life. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Seven-spotted Lady Beetle: Vermont Atlas of Life". val.vtecostudies.org. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Seven-spotted ladybug | EBSCO Research Starters". www.ebsco.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Pohle, Richard (18 May 2012). "The ladybirds are coming!". The Times . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Bauer, Tatia (24 July 2013). "Coccinella septempunctata". Animal Diversity Web . Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 "Ladybird Information sheet" (PDF). Learning through Landscapes. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hodek, Ivo; Michaud, J.P. (2008). "Why is Coccinella septempunctata so successful? (A point-of-view)" (PDF). Europian Journal of Entomology. 105: 1–12. doi:10.14411/eje.2008.001. ISSN   1802-8829.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Sevenspotted Lady Beetle". University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Coccinella septempunctata". InfluentialPoints.com. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758". UK Beetle Recording.
  11. ↑ Feuerriegel, K. S.; Sloggett, J. J. (2024). "Sexual calling behaviour, and the effects of immediate mating history and consexual presence in the seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 172 (8): 743–753. doi:10.1111/eea.13551.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Seven-Spot Ladybug Fact File". The Animal Facts. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  13. ↑ Savoiskaya, G.I., Coccinellid Larvae (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) of the Fauna of the USSR (Nauka, Leningrad Branch, Leningrad, 1983) (Keys to the Fauna of the USSR, Published by the Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, No. 137) [in Russian].
  14. ↑ Hooper-Bui, Linda M. (2008). "Ant". World Book Encyclopedia . ISBN   978-0-7166-0108-1.
  15. ↑ Wootton, Anthony (1998). Insects of the World. Blandford. ISBN   978-0-7137-2366-3.
  16. ↑ "Ladybugs". National Geographic . National Geographic Society. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  17. 1 2 J. Blount; H. Rowland; F. Drijfhout; J. Endler; R. Inger; J. Sloggett; G. Hurst; D. Hodgson; M. Speed (2012). "How the ladybird got its spots: effects of resource limitation on the honesty of aposematic signals". Functional Ecology . 26 (2): 1–9. Bibcode:2012FuEco..26..334B. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.01961.x . hdl: 10536/DRO/DU:30047055 .
  18. ↑ Schembri, Patrick J.; Baldacchino, Alfred E. (2011). Ilma, Blat u Hajja: Is-Sisien tal-Ambjent Naturali Malti (in Maltese). Malta University Press. pp. 81–82. ISBN   978-99909-44-48-8.
  19. 1 2 Marin, Julie; Crouau-Roy, Brigitte; Hemptinne, Jean-Louis; Lecompte, Emilie; Magro, Alexandra (November 2010). "Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae): a species complex?". Zoologica Scripta . 39 (6): 591–602. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2010.00450.x. ISSN   1463-6409.
  20. ↑ N. B. Nikitsky and А. S. Ukrainsky, 2016 The Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) of Moscow Province ISSN 0013-8738. Entomological Review, 2016, Vol. 96, No. 6, pp. 710–735 ISSN 0013-8738 online pdf
  21. ↑ "Harlequin Ladybird Survey - Origins". www.harlequin-survey.org. Archived from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  22. ↑ Ben Quinn (7 November 2006). "Home-grown ladybirds put to flight by alien invasion". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  23. 1 2 Mahyoub, Jazem; Mangoud, Ashraf; Alghamdi, Khalid; Ghramh, Hamed (December 2013). "Method For Mass Production the Seven Spotted Lady Beetle, Coccinella Septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Suitable Manipulation of Egg Picking Technique". Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. 6 (3): 31–38. doi:10.21608/eajbsa.2013.13227.
  24. ↑ Yua, Yi; Chengb, Ying; Zhoub, Yuhang; Li, Fengliang (2022). "Effects of various components of artificial diets on survival, development and reproduction of Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". Biocontrol Science and Technology. 32 (9): 1122–1131. Bibcode:2022BioST..32.1122Y. doi:10.1080/09583157.2022.2100876.
  25. ↑ Abbas, Sohail; Abbas, Muneer; Alam, Aleena; Feng, Xiao; Raza, Ali; Shakeel, Muhammad; Qin, Weibo; Han, Xiao; Chen, Rizhao (2023). "Dietary assessment across various life stages of seven-spotted lady beetle Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology. 84 (26) 26. Bibcode:2023JBAZ...84...26A. doi: 10.1186/s41936-023-00348-4 .
  26. ↑ Losey, John; Perlman, Jordan; Kopco, James; Ramsey, Samuel; Hesler, Louis; Evans, Edward; Allee, Leslie; Smyth, Rebecca (April 2012). "Potential causes and consequences of decreased body size in field populations of Coccinella novemnotata" . Biological Control. 61 (1): 98–103. Bibcode:2012BiolC..61...98L. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2011.12.009. S2CID   59401486.
  27. 1 2 3 Pickering, G.J.; Glemser, E.J.; Hallett, R.; Inglis, D.; McFadden-Smith, W.; Ker, K. (2011). "Good Bugs Gone Bad: Coccinellidae, Sustainability And Wine" (PDF). Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. Sustainability Today. 167: 239–251. doi:10.2495/ST110221. ISBN   978-1-84564-652-3.
  28. 1 2 Pickering, Gary J.; Botezatu, Andreea (2021). "A Review of Ladybug Taint in Wine: Origins, Prevention, and Remediation". Molecules. 26 (14): 4341. doi: 10.3390/molecules26144341 . PMC   8306610 . PMID   34299616.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Parkinson, Justin (5 March 2016). "Could the ladybird plague of 1976 happen again?". BBC News Online . Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  30. ↑ Baker, Laura (18 July 2025). "In conversation with Laura Baker: Comparing the UK's hot summers – 1976 vs 2025". National Centre for Atmospheric Science . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  31. 1 2 Telegraph Reporters (11 July 2025). "Ladybirds swarm across Britain in biggest plague since 1976". The Telegraph . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  32. ↑ Miller, Nick (10 July 2025). "Ladybirds stop play at Lord's, the home of cricket". The New York Times . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  33. ↑ Ellis, Sophie (24 July 2025). "Will there be another 'invasion' of 'biting' ladybirds like in the summer of 1976?". Countryfile . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  34. ↑ Varecha, Vanessa (29 April 2019). "Myths and legends of ladybugs". The Times . Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  35. ↑ "Coccinella septempunctata (2017 India)". StampData. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  36. ↑ "Hyödyllisiä ja harmillisia". oppiminen.yle.fi (in Finnish). 5 September 2006. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  37. ↑ Kiprop, Victor (29 June 2018). "US State Butterflies and Insects". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  38. ↑ "Coccinella septempunctata". StampData. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  39. ↑ Beverley, Claire (5 January 2010). "Coccinella septempunctata (seven-spot ladybird)". CABI Compendium. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.11733. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022.
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