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Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle
ExploreInsects
Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata
The Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle is a small, colorful bug with 14 spots on its back! It loves to munch on tiny pests like aphids, helping plants stay healthy and happy.
Habitat: Urban areas
Appearance
The Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle is small and oval-shaped, typically bright yellow or orange with exactly fourteen black spots on its wing covers. Its pronotum, the segment behind its head, often has two black spots or a distinctive M-shape marking, making it easy to identify.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyCoccinellidaeGenusPropylaea
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Female lady beetles can lay hundreds of eggs to make many pest-eating babies!
Lady beetle larvae look like tiny alligators and hunt pests aggressively!
They squirt bitter, yellow 'blood' from their legs to scare away hungry predators!
They wiggle their antennae to sniff out tasty aphids hiding on leaves!
Special abilities
Ability
Toxic Blood Blast
Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle can release foul-smelling, bitter-tasting yellow hemolymph from its leg joints to deter predators.
Ability
Aphid Annihilator
Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle can rapidly consume large numbers of aphids, helping to protect plants from pests.
Measurements & details
- Wingspan
- 7-9 mm
- Size
- 3.5-4.5 mm
- Lifespan
- 30-90 days
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
A tiny but mighty predator, eating garden pests to keep plants healthy!
Age differences: Larvae are voracious hunters, eating even more aphids than adults.
Primary Foods
- aphids
- spider mites
- scale insects
- insect eggs
- small larvae
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
hunts
Cotton Aphid
Aphis gossypii
Helps control cotton aphid populations on crops.
hunts
Green Peach Aphid
Myzus persicae
An important predator of the common green peach aphid.
hunts
Pea Aphid
Acyrthosiphon pisum
Reduces pea aphid numbers, protecting garden and field peas.
Traits
Spotted
Marked with spots or patches of a different color.
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Insectivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Keystone Species
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
These beetles are friendly and safe to observe, but don't touch them too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle's wingspan?
7-9 mm
How big is Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle?
3.5-4.5 mm
How long does Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle live?
30-90 days
What does Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle eat?
A tiny but mighty predator, eating garden pests to keep plants healthy!
Where is Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle usually found?
Urban areas
How does Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle hunt?
Foraging
How many legs does Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle have?
6
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