# Mountain Lady Beetle (*coccinella monticola*) The Mountain Lady Beetle is a tiny, colorful bug that loves to munch on aphids! These little beetles can be found climbing around in gardens and forests, making them fun to spot! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Mountainous regions, forests, and gardens. - **Also known as:** Ladybird Beetle, Mountain Beetle ![Mountain Lady Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lady_Beetle_-_Coccinella_monticola%252C_Plumas_County%252C_California.jpg&width=800) Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lady_Beetle_-_Coccinella_monticola%252C_Plumas_County%252C_California.jpg) ## Appearance The Mountain Lady Beetle is a small, oval-shaped insect typically featuring bright red or orange wing covers adorned with seven prominent black spots. It has a black head with two short antennae and black legs, giving it the classic ladybug appearance. This distinct coloration makes it easily recognizable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Coccinellidae - **Genus:** Coccinella ## Interesting facts - Lady beetles often play dead by tucking in their legs if they feel threatened! - Some ladybugs travel many miles to find the best place to lay their eggs! - Their hard wing covers protect delicate flying wings hidden underneath! - They taste their food with their antennae before taking a bite! ## Special abilities - **Aphid Eradicator:** Mountain Lady Beetles can eat hundreds of plant pests because of their insatiable appetite, which helps protect crops. - **Chemical Shield:** This beetle can secrete a foul-smelling, bitter fluid from its leg joints that helps deter hungry predators. - **Warning Colors:** The Mountain Lady Beetle has vibrant red and black markings that help warn predators it tastes bad or is toxic. - **Winter Napper:** Mountain Lady Beetles can gather in large groups to hibernate, helping them survive cold mountain winters. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 8-14 mm - **Size:** 4-7 mm - **Lifespan:** 90-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 8 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These tiny hunters gobble up garden pests to keep plants healthy! - **Age differences:** Larvae consume more aphids than adults for rapid growth. - **Primary Foods:** Aphids, Scale insects, Mites, Pollen, Nectar - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Black Bean Aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — A primary food source for all life stages. - **Hunts:** Green Peach Aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — Helps control populations of this widespread pest. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Birds can sometimes prey on lady beetles. - **Shelter:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Often found on trees in mountainous regions. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mountain Lady Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Mountain Lady Beetle's wingspan? 8-14 mm ### How big is Mountain Lady Beetle? 4-7 mm ### How long does Mountain Lady Beetle live? 90-365 days ### How fast can Mountain Lady Beetle fly? 8 km/h ### What does Mountain Lady Beetle eat? These tiny hunters gobble up garden pests to keep plants healthy! ### Where is Mountain Lady Beetle usually found? Mountainous regions, forests, and gardens. ### How does Mountain Lady Beetle hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-lodge-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-national-park-scenic-trails-historic-district) — Utah, US · Trail - [Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/laurance-s-rockefeller-preserve) — Wyoming, US · Nature Reserve - [Old National Park Service Housing Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-national-park-service-housing-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kokanee-glacier-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Mountain Lady Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mountain-lady-beetle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Mountain Lady Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mountain-lady-beetle)