# Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle (*Psyllobora vigintimaculata*) The Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle is a small, friendly bug with bright yellow wings and twenty black spots. They love to munch on tiny pests like aphids, helping plants stay healthy and happy! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 20 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Twenty-spotted_Lady_Beetle_-_Psyllobora_vigintimaculata%252C_Brighton_Beach%252C_Deep_Cove%252C_British_Columbia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Twenty-spotted_Lady_Beetle_-_Psyllobora_vigintimaculata%252C_Brighton_Beach%252C_Deep_Cove%252C_British_Columbia.jpg) ## Appearance The Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle is a small, round insect, typically bright yellow to pale cream. It has twenty distinctive black spots across its wing covers. Its dome-shaped body helps differentiate it from flat-bodied beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Coccinellidae - **Genus:** Psyllobora ## Interesting facts - Baby twenty-spotted lady beetles look like tiny, spiky, walking alligators! - It's one of the few lady beetles that eats mold instead of pests! - Its spots aren't always exactly twenty; the number can vary slightly! - They sometimes gather in large groups to spend the winter months together! ## Special abilities - **Chemical Defense:** Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle can release a bitter, toxic liquid from its legs that makes predators think twice. - **Warning Colors:** Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle has bright yellow colors and black spots that warn hungry birds and insects to stay away. - **Playing Dead:** Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle can pretend to be dead by tucking in its legs and dropping, surprising attackers. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 5-12 mm - **Size:** 2-4 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-365 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Uniquely, these beetles munch on fungi like powdery mildew, keeping plants healthy! - **Age differences:** Larvae and adults share a similar diet, primarily fungi. - **Primary Foods:** Powdery mildew, Fungal spores, Fungal mycelia - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Grape powdery mildew (*Erysiphe necator*) — Feeds on this fungal pathogen, helping plant health. - **Depends on:** Cucumber powdery mildew (*Podosphaera xanthii*) — Consumes this common powdery mildew on garden plants. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Cardinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-cardinal) (*Cardinalis cardinalis*) — A common bird that preys on insects like lady beetles. - **Eaten by:** Allegheny Mound Ant (*Formica exsectoides*) — Ants may prey on larvae or adults when opportunities arise. ## 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. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low These beetles are safe to watch, but don’t touch them too much to keep them happy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Twenty-spotted 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 Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle's wingspan? 5-12 mm ### How big is Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle? 2-4 mm ### How long does Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle live? 30-365 days ### What does Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle eat? Uniquely, these beetles munch on fungi like powdery mildew, keeping plants healthy! ### Where is Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle usually found? Grasslands ### How does Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Conejo Valley Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conejo-valley-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Discovery Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/discovery-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Dundee Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundee-canal) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Hoffner Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoffner-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Irvington Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/irvington-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Mount Airy Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-airy-forest) — Ohio, US · Forest [View all places to see Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/twenty-spotted-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: [Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/twenty-spotted-lady-beetle)