THE ANIMAL FILES

Seven-spot ladybird

Coccinella septempunctata

Seven spots belong to the adult; the young wear a different body.

The seven-spot ladybird is an oval, domed beetle with red-orange wing covers. A dark mark near the meeting point of the covers joins three on each side to create the familiar count, although spot size and position vary.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Seven-spot ladybird
Image: Photographer: Dominik Stodulski Graphic Processing: User:MathKnight · Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Adult form
Domed beetle with spotted wing covers[1]
Young
Elongated and strongly segmented[1]
Prey cues
Chemicals from aphids and affected plants[1]

The count is a pattern, not an age

The adult pattern is distributed across two wing covers, with one mark near their junction and three on each cover. Individuals can differ in the sizes and positions of these marks; the pattern describes anatomy, not a growing yearly tally.[1]

Before the round red beetle

Eggs hatch into long-legged, segmented larvae. These pass through four larval stages before pupation. The adult’s rounded outline is therefore not a miniature version of the larva, but a later developmental form.[1]

Following chemical messages

Ladybirds can respond to chemicals released by aphids and by aphid-infested plants when locating prey. Adults also use chemical cues when gathering at overwintering sites, so chemical information serves both feeding and seasonal aggregation.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Do seven spots mean seven years old?

No. They are the adult colour pattern, not a record of annual birthdays.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why might an aphid-covered plant attract a hunting ladybird?

Reveal the explanation

Chemical cues can come from both aphids and the affected plant, providing information about where prey may be found.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Seven-spot ladybird (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Coccinella septempunctata (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

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