Ladybug
ExploreInsects
Ladybug
Hippodamia convergens
Ladybugs are small, round insects that are usually red with black spots. They love to eat aphids, which makes them helpful for gardens!
Habitat: Gardens, fields, and forests
Appearance
The Ladybug is a small, dome-shaped beetle, typically bright red or orange with distinct black spots. It has short antennae and six tiny legs. Its vibrant colors serve as a warning to predators, making it easily distinguishable from other insects.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyCoccinellidaeGenusHippodamia
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
53
Interesting facts
A ladybug's spots can actually fade away as it gets older!
Ladybugs aren't actually bugs; they are a type of beetle!
Some ladybugs don't have any spots on their backs at all!
They often gather in huge groups to stay warm in winter hibernation spots.
Special abilities
Ability
Super Pest Eater
Ladybug can eat hundreds of aphids because of their insatiable appetite that helps them keep gardens healthy.
Ability
Reflex Bleeding
Ladybug can ooze a bitter, yellowish fluid from its legs because of special glands that helps them taste bad to predators.
Ability
Playing Possum
Ladybug can pretend to be dead by retracting its legs and antennae that helps them fool predators into leaving them alone.
Ability
Long-Distance Traveler
Ladybug can fly many miles to gather in warm places because of their strong wings that helps them survive cold winters.
Measurements & details
- Wingspan
- 8-21 mm
- Size
- 4-7 mm
- Lifespan
- 30-365 days
- Flight Speed
- 5-10 km/h
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
Ladybugs are tiny insectivores that love to munch on soft-bodied garden pests like aphids!
Age differences: Larvae and adults both primarily eat soft-bodied insects like aphids.
Primary Foods
- Aphids
- Scale insects
- Mites
- Mealybugs
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eaten by
Cotton Aphid
Aphis gossypii
a primary food source
eats
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
a common bird predator
eats
Garden Cross Spider
Araneus diadematus
a spider that may prey on them
parasitizes
Ladybug Parasitoid Wasp
Dinocampus coccinellae
lays eggs inside the ladybug
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
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.
Also known as
Lady BeetleLadybird
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Ladybug?
The easiest way to identify Ladybug is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
What is Ladybug's wingspan?
8-21 mm
How big is Ladybug?
4-7 mm
How long does Ladybug live?
30-365 days
How fast can Ladybug fly?
5-10 km/h
What does Ladybug eat?
Ladybugs are tiny insectivores that love to munch on soft-bodied garden pests like aphids!
Where is Ladybug usually found?
Gardens, fields, and forests
How does Ladybug hunt?
Foraging
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
Jun 3, 2026
Generals' Highway Stone Bridgesi
Photo attribution
(c) Dan Killam, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 2, 2026
Generals' Highway Stone Bridgesi
Photo attribution
(c) Dan Killam, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 2, 2026
Generals' Highway Stone Bridgesi
Photo attribution
(c) Dan Killam, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
May 25, 2026
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preservei
Photo attribution
(c) Coryn Fox Corvus, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
May 17, 2026
Rancho Estellei
Photo attribution
(c) Bao Pham, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
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