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Ladybirds of Southampton & surrounding areas

all photos by Peter Burford
This page shows photographs of all the ladybirds which have been seen in the area, plus 1 which is found in the Portsmouth area and 1 new arrival found in Outer London and Surrey. There is only 1 ladybird not shown, this is the Hieroglyphic, which we have not yet seen, but should be in the New Forest.

The photograph below shows the normal 2-spot ladybird as you would normally expect to see it....

2-spot Ladybird, black patterned variation

There are many variations in the colouration of the 2-spot ladybird. The next few photographs, which were all taken at Peartree Green, Woolston, show some of them.

2-spot ladybird dark

This is a very dark variation

2-spot ladybirds mating

Both of these ladybirds are red with black spots, but note the strange shape of the spots on the male (the one on top!!)

2-spot ladybird...melanic

This is the variation most often encountered... beware of confusion with other red-on-black ladybirds which are shown further down the list...the 10-spot melanic, the heather, kidney-spot and pine ladybirds.

7-spot ladybird...typical

This large, red ladybird, with 7 black spots is the one most often seen in your garden.

7-spot ladybird...orange

This is the same as the preceding photo, but the insect is bright orange instead of red.

SCARCE 7-spot ladybird

This is a separate insect from the typical 7-spot, and is very rare, and most often found near wood ant nests. It is slightly smaller, but more rounded than the 7-spot.

Scarce 7-spot

The best method of confirming the identification of the scarce 7-spot, is that it has a white patch under all 4 rear legs (just visible in this photo). The typical 7-spot only has white patches under the front two legs.

10-spot Ladybird

The 10-spot is another ladybird which has many colour variants.

This first photo is the typical 10-spot

10-spot ladybird, orange/black spots

This insect was filmed at Baddesley Common, 24 March 2005.

10-spot Ladybird, 2-tone

Each half of the elytra is a different colour in this ladybird, filmed in Telegraph Woods, West End, Southampton.

10-spot Ladybird, 2 yellow spots

Another variation from Baddesley Common is this form bi-maculata (which is more usually the black melanic with 2 red spots).

10-spot Ladybird, yellow/rust chequered.

Ther are a number of chequered ladybirds, which all come under the form 'decempustulata'

10-spot ladybird, yellow/black chequered

Filmed on a nettle patch at Peartree Green in Southampton on 6 April 2005.

10-spot Ladybird, red/black chequered

Also filmed at Peartree Green.

10-spot Ladybird, unspotted

This ladybird which has no spots at all was filmed at Peartree Green.

10-spot Ladybird, faint spots

Baddesley Common, 24 March 2005.

10-spot Ladybird, light spotting

Filmed at Forest Front in Southampton 13 April 2005.

10-spot Ladybird, melanic

The melanic form (black with red markings) of the 10-spot is the most common variation to be found. This one was filmed at Baddesley Common on 23 March 2005.

10-spot Ladybird, multi-coloured

This most unusual colour variant was another Peartree Green special (6 April 2005), and is the last of the 10-spot variations.

11-spot Ladybird, red

I have filmed 2 variants of this ladybird, this red one (19 May 2005), and the orange one which follows.

11-spot Ladybird, orange

17 August 2005.

14-spot Ladybird

Peartree Green again, this time 1 May 2005.

16-spot Ladybird

Filmed at Hythe Spartina Marsh, 18 April 2005.

18-spot Ladybird

Peartree Green again, 11 April 2005.

22-spot Ladybird

Yet another Peartree Green specimen, this time 1 May 2005!

24-spot Ladybird

One of the smallest (and fastest) ladybirds. Peartree Green(!!!), 8 April 2005.

24-spot Ladybird, unspotted

Found by Phil Budd in Thornhill, 30 October 2004.

Adonis Ladybird

This species has yet to be discovered in the Southampton area. This one was filmed on wasteland in Portsmouth, 10 May 2005.

Bryony Ladybird

Another ladybird not yet seen in the Southampton Area, it was first found in the London area, and has now spread to Surrey. This photo was taken at Pyrford Green, Surrey on 26 July 2004.

Cream-spot Ladybird

Peartree Green again, 1 May, 2005.

Cream-streaked Ladybird

Filmed at Telegraph Wood, West End, Southampton on 15 May 2005.

Eyed Ladybird

Until the harlequin ladybird appeared on the scene, this was the largest of our ladybirds. Peartree Green, 6 April 2005.

Harlequin Ladybird

This is the recent import from the Continent about which there is such concern. It remains to be seen just how much this insect will affect the rest of the ladybird population, but one thing is sure, it is in this country to stay. Phil Budd found this specimen in Locks Heath on 2 November 2005!!

Heather Ladybird

One would think that this would be a very common insect in our area as we have the New Forest on our doorstep, and many areas of heathland around us. This is the only speciman I have seen in the vicinity (Forest Front, Southampton, 13 April 2005). The only other was from Christchurch Town Common, Dorset, 25 March 2005.