# Seven-spotted Lady Beetle

*Coccinella septempunctata*

The 'seven spots' were historically said to symbolize the seven joys and seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Coccinellidae › Coccinella
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Meadows, gardens, agricultural fields, and temperate forests.
- **Diet:** Primarily aphids and scale insects; occasionally consumes pollen and nectar.
- **Range:** Europe, North America, Asia, North Africa
- **Size:** 7-10 mm in length
- **Lifespan:** 1-2 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Widespread pesticide use, habitat loss, and competition from the invasive Harlequin ladybird.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and safe to observe closely. If handled, they may release a yellow, bitter-smelling fluid (reflex bleeding) from their leg joints which can stain. Wash hands after handling.

## About

Coccinella septempunctata , the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or "C-7" ), is the most common ladybird in Europe. Its elytra are of a red colour, but punctuated with three black spots each, with one further spot being spread over the junction of the two, making a total of seven spots, from which the species derives both its common and scientific names (from the Latin septem = "seven" and punctus = "spot").

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b4d6614a-9f8d-4388-a72a-c2a735c439b0
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/51702
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccinella septempunctata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/220339613/medium.jpg (Casey H. Richart, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.