Coccinella septempunctata

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Coccinella septempunctata
7-Spotted-Ladybug-Coccinella-septempunctata-sq1.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Coccinella
Species:
C. septempunctata
Binomial name
Coccinella septempunctata

Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or "C-7" [1] ), is a carnivorous beetle native to the Old World and is the most common ladybird in Europe. The beetle is also found in North America, Central and Eastern Asia and regions with a temperate climate. [2] Its elytra are of a red colour, but each punctuated with three black spots, 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").

Contents

Biology

Coccinella septempunctata in Turkey Seven spot ladybird.jpg
Coccinella septempunctata in Turkey

Although C. septempunctata larvae and adults mainly eat aphids, they also feed on Thysanoptera, Aleyrodidae, on the larvae of Psyllidae and Cicadellidae, and on eggs and larvae of some beetles and butterflies. [3] They breed one or two generations per year. Adults overwinter in ground litter in parks, gardens and forest edges and under tree bark and rocks.

C. septempunctata has a broad ecological range, generally living wherever there are aphids for it to eat. [4] This includes, amongst other biotopes, meadows, fields, Pontic–Caspian steppe, parkland, gardens, Western European broadleaf forests and mixed forests.

In the United Kingdom, there are fears that the seven-spot ladybird is being outcompeted for food by the harlequin ladybird. [5]

An adult seven-spot ladybird may reach a body length of 7.6–12.7 mm (0.3–0.5 in). Their distinctive spots and conspicuous colours warn of their toxicity, making them unappealing to predators. The species can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste. A threatened ladybird may both play dead and secrete the unappetising substance to protect itself. [6] The seven-spot ladybird synthesizes the toxic alkaloids, N-oxide coccinelline and its free base precoccinelline; depending on sex and diet, the spot size and coloration can provide some indication of how toxic the individual insect is to potential predators. [7]

Distribution

Coccinella septempunctata in Turkey Seven-spotted ladybug.jpg
Coccinella septempunctata in Turkey

The species can be found in Europe, North Africa, Australia, Cyprus, European Russia, the Caucasus, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, the Transcaucasia, Kazakhstan, Middle Asia, Western Asia, Middle East, Afghanistan, Mongolia, China, North and South Korea, Pakistan, Nepal, North India, Japan, Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, and tropical Africa. [8]

Interaction with humans

Biological control, introductions, and infestations

The species has been repeatedly introduced to North America as a biological control agent to reduce aphid numbers. [9] The first record of successful establishment (after numerous failed attempts to introduce the species) in the United States was in 1973. It has since spread by natural dispersion to New York and Connecticut and to Oklahoma, Georgia and Delaware by recolonization.[ clarification needed ][ citation needed ]

In North America, this species has outcompeted many native species, including other Coccinella . Massive swarms of C. septempunctata took place in the drought summer of 1976 in the UK. [10] The species has undergone significant declines on the island of Malta, yet it is unclear whether this decline has occurred at the same rate elsewhere. [4]

In culture

C. septempunctata has been designated the national insect of Finland. [11] In the United States, it is also the official state insect of five different states (Delaware, [12] Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee).

Related Research Articles

<i>Harmonia axyridis</i> Species of beetle

Harmonia axyridis is a large lady beetle or ladybug species that is most commonly known as the harlequin, Asian, or multicoloured Asian lady beetle. This is one of the most variable species in the world, with an exceptionally wide range of colour forms. It is native to eastern Asia, but has been artificially introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids and scale insects. It is now common, well known, and spreading in those regions, and has also established in Africa and widely across South America. This species is conspicuous in North America, where it may locally be known as the Halloween beetle, as it often invades homes during October to overwinter.

<i>Hippodamia tredecimpunctata</i> Species of beetle

Hippodamia tredecimpunctata, commonly known as the thirteen-spot ladybeetle, is a species of lady beetle.

Coccinella novemnotata, the nine-spotted ladybug or nine-spotted lady beetle or C9, is a species of ladybug in the family Coccinellidae native to North America. This beetle was once ubiquitous across the continent but experienced a sharp and drastic decline around the 1960’s. Now, considered a rare species, the nine-spotted ladybug has received much attention from researchers who wish to understand the causes of its decline and restore the population of this charismatic beetle to benefit from their aphidophagous nature as biocontrol agents in agriculture.

<i>Coccinella</i> Genus of beetles

Coccinella is the most familiar genus of ladybird. The elytra of most species are of a red or orange colour, punctuated with black spots or bands. The genus occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but has only 11 species native to North America, with far more in Eurasia.

<i>Propylea quatuordecimpunctata</i> Species of beetle

Propylea quatuordecimpunctata is a small lady beetle, belonging to the family Coccinellidae. It is sometimes referred to by the common name 14-spotted ladybird beetle, or simply P-14.

<i>Halyzia sedecimguttata</i> Species of beetle

Halyzia sedecimguttata, or orange ladybird, is a species of Coccinellidae (ladybirds) family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coccinellidae</span> Family of beetles

Coccinellidae is a widespread family of small beetles. They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in the United Kingdom; "lady" refers to mother Mary. Entomologists use the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles to avoid confusion with true bugs. The more than 6,000 described species have a global distribution and are found in a variety of habitats. They are oval beetles with a domed back and flat underside. Many of the species have conspicuous aposematic (warning) colours and patterns, such as red with black spots, that warn potential predators that they taste bad.

<i>Coccinella transversalis</i> Species of beetle

Coccinella transversalis, commonly known as the transverse ladybird or transverse lady beetle, is a species of ladybird beetle found from India across southern and southeastern Asia to Malesia and Australia. It is not to be confused with Coccinella transversoguttata, a widespread species in Europe and North America also known as the transverse ladybird. The alternative vernacular of small transverse ladybird may be used for C. transversalis in instances where these two species are discussed together.

<i>Coccinella undecimpunctata</i> Species of beetle

Coccinella undecimpunctata, the eleven-spot ladybird or eleven-spotted lady beetle, it is native to central Asia, though commonly found in Europe, and formerly North America as its populations are decreasing. It is of the family Coccinellidae, commonly referred to as ladybugs or lady beetles.

<i>Coccinella leonina</i> Species of beetle (ladybird) native to New Zealand

Coccinella leonina, common name orange-spotted ladybird, is a species of ladybird native to New Zealand. It is black with orange spots. A predator species, it is present in a variety of habitats.

<i>Adalia decempunctata</i> Species of beetle

Adalia decempunctata, the ten-spotted ladybird or ten-spotted lady beetle, is a carnivorous beetle of the family Coccinellidae.

<i>Calvia quatuordecimguttata</i> Species of beetle

Calvia quatuordecimguttata, the cream-spot ladybird, is a species of ladybird in the family Coccinellidae. Its distribution is holarctic, it being found in Europe and through the East Palearctic to Japan. It is introduced to North America. This ladybird is generally 4 to 5 millimetres in length and varies in appearance depending on the geographical location. It usually lives in hedgerows and deciduous trees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighteen-spotted ladybird</span> Species of beetle

The eighteen-spotted ladybird, or 18-spot ladybird, is a species of beetle in the genus Myrrha in the ladybird family that lives primarily in pine forests and mixed (deciduous/conifer) forests inhabiting the upper part of the canopy and feeding on aphids. They favour old pines and breed in the crowns of pine trees in Germany M. octodecimguttata also occurs on high bogs Adults overwinter in aggregations under peeled-off bark and in crevices at the bases of old pine trunks. It is usually 4 to 5 millimetres in length.

<i>Coleomegilla maculata</i> Species of beetle

Coleomegilla maculata, commonly known as the spotted lady beetle, pink spotted lady beetle or twelve-spotted lady beetle, is a large coccinellid beetle native to North America. The adults and larvae feed primarily on aphids and the species has been used as a biological control agent. Based on name connotation and to avoid confusion with other species also called "spotted ladybeetle", spotted pink ladybeetle is probably the most appropriate common name for this species.

<i>Coccinella magnifica</i> Species of beetle

Coccinella magnifica, also known as the scarce seven-spot ladybird, is a species of beetle in the family Coccinellidae. Both the adults and larvae are predators. They are known for their diet of aphids, but will eat many other pests such as soft-scale insects, spider mites, mealybugs, and the eggs of many others. A single larvae will eat about 400 medium size aphids during its development to pupal stage. An adult will eat about 300 aphids before it lays its eggs. Approximately 3 to 10 aphids are eaten for each egg laid, and a female will lay from 50 to 300 eggs in her lifetime. More than 5,000 aphids may be eaten by a single adult ladybug in its lifetime. The scarce 7-spot is often found along with nests of wood ants.

<i>Anatis ocellata</i> Species of beetle

Anatis ocellata, commonly known as the eyed ladybug, is a species of ladybug in the family Coccinellidae. It has black spots on a red background, with each spot surrounded by a yellowish halo. In one color variation, a specimen found in Scotland was reported having the spots fused to form longitudinal lines. Sometimes can also be found variation where black spots are absent.

<i>Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata</i> Species of beetle

Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata is a beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is the only member of the genus Subcoccinella. It has the typical, almost semi-spherical, ladybird shape and is patterned with spots. However it differs from many of the well-known ladybirds in being neither smooth and shiny nor an eater of aphids: the wing-cases look velvety and it eats fungal moulds on plants.

<i>Aphidecta obliterata</i> Species of beetle

Aphidecta obliterata is a species of Coccinellidae, a flying beetle.

<i>Scymnus auritus</i> Species of beetle

Scymnus auritus is a species of beetle in family Coccinellidae. It is found in the Palearctic. It is a tiny black ladybird associated with Quercus robur woodland.

<i>Coccinella hieroglyphica</i> Species of beetle

Coccinella hieroglyphica is a species of beetle in family Coccinellidae. It is found in the Palearctic. Coccinella hieroglyphica is found in Europe, European Russia, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Korea. In Europe, in the north beyond the Polar circle, in the south to Northern Italy. They live in heath and moorland habitats to heights of 1,200 meters, on different Ericaceae, feeding on aphids. Other, less preferred, habitats are wet meadows, marshes, wastelands, and mixed forests. Other host plants are Pinus abies and other Pinus species and various Betula species. Their populations vary greatly from year to year. They fly from May to October and overwinter in coarse woody debris under pines and birches. In the former USSR, it is aphidophagous on Salix species, birches, and on Alnus and Poaceae

References

  1. "Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus,1758:365). Seven-spotted lady beetle; Seven-spotted ladybug". Discover Life. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  2. Ali, Arshad (2007). "Development and Predatory Performance of Coccinella septempunctata a L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on Different Aphid Species". Journal of Biological Sciences. 7 (8): 1478–1483. doi:10.3923/jbs.2007.1478.1483.
  3. 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].
  4. 1 2 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.
  5. 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.
  6. "Ladybugs". National Geographic . National Geographic Society. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  7. 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 .
  8. 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
  9. "Seven-spotted Lady Beetle: Vermont Atlas of Life". val.vtecostudies.org. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  10. Parkinson, Justin (5 March 2016). "Could the ladybird plague of 1976 happen again?". BBC News Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016.
  11. "Hyödyllisiä ja harmillisia". oppiminen.yle.fi (in Finnish). 5 September 2006. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  12. "Title 29 - Chapter 3. State Seal, Song and Symbols". delcode.delaware.gov. Retrieved 9 December 2022.