Ladybugs/Ladybird Beetles

Family Coccinelidae

Eye-spotted lady beetle (Anatis mali). Photo:Stephanie Boucher

This is one of the most beneficial families of beetles because adults and larvae of most species of Coccinellidae feed on pest insects like aphids. A few species are phytophagous (plant-eating) and can be major pests of cultivated crops. Coccinellidae are usually rounded or oval in shape and often brightly coloured insects. Many ladybird beetles have spots or bands on the elytra (modified front wings that protect the hind wings), and they have short antennae. The larvae are elongate and moderately flattened, and they are covered with tubercles or spines.