What do ladybirds eat?

We have had 18 records of 7-spot ladybirds during January and February, we would expect to start seeing them in early March. Have you seen any yet? Help us build a picture of what’s happening to wildlife near you.  

What do 7-spot ladybirds eat and what to record for Nature’s Calendar.

1. We only record 7-spot ladybirds for Nature’s Calendar, these are easily identifiable by the seven spots across their backs.
2. 7-spot ladybirds are a generalist species which means they can be found in most habitats. They are predators and their main diet consists of aphids.
3. The exact date you first see a live, active 7-spot ladybird outdoors is the vital information we need.
4. Ladybirds are largely dormant in winter and will aggregate together, if you see this please wait until they have woken up and are active to tell us.

Lady birds in the UK and their diets

There are 47 species of ladybird in the UK. 90% of these are carnivores and will consume aphids and scale insects. The remaining 10% have a diet of mildew, plants or pollen. Some species will also prey on the eggs and larvae of other ladybird species. 

Why do we record ladybirds?

7-spot ladybirds hibernate so by knowing when they are first active we can track their hibernation patterns. This will allow us to track trends in the timing of spring and attempt to determine the effects this might have on the ladybirds or other species.   

7-spot ladybird desktop calendar

Download our 7-spot ladybird wallpaper to remind you what to look out for this month.