T. 22-punctata
         C. 7-punctata
         C. tenebrionis
         O. nasicornis
         C. aurata
         C. aeruginosa
         E. pareyssei
         E. faber
         C. cordigera

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Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

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View images of the Common Toad, an ugly, bulky, but really sweet creature with an interesting... nightlife.

  Veggie of the Month

Learn about the Salsify, a beautiful plant, with edible and medicinal properties, that is currently blooming in Pelion.

  Cool Destination

Visit Mourtias, one of Pelion's most picturesque beaches on the Aegean coast.

  Exciting Site

Tour the Volos Archaeological Museum, a pretty century-old building, whose exhibits span a historical period of over 10 millennia!

  Month's Wallpaper

Download a fantastic picture of a rickety jetty in Lefokastron, Pelion, taken by Huw Jones.

Loading image. Please wait 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata) :: 2002/06/23 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata) :: 2002/06/23 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos No image! No image! No image!

7-spot Ladybird

Coccinella 7-punctata

When one thinks of ladybirds, Coccinella 7-punctata is always the first to come to mind. It has a distinctive red, oval body, with 7 black dots on the  elytra. Its head is sunk into the  pronotum, which is black with two white dots, while its legs are short and retractable. Its overall length is between 7 and 9 mm (approx. 1/4 - 1/3 in).

The insect's bright colors warn predators that it should be avoided. In this case, C. 7-punctata is advertising its bitter taste. Indeed, when disturbed it secretes a strong-smelling, yellowish, acrid fluid, which can stain the hand and taint it with a long-lasting odor.

Both adults and  larvae are active aphid hunters and are, thus, more than welcome in any garden. Adults hibernate, often in large clusters, in a sheltered hollow.

It is worth noting that the vernacular name, ladybird, which is generic for all members of the Coccinellidae family, arises from Coccinella 7-punctata, "Our Lady's Bird", the Lady in this case being the Virgin Mary from Christian Mythology. The red base color of the elytra is said to represent her cloak and the 7 black spots the Virgin's 7 joys and 7 sorrows.

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Fact Sheet

Food
Both adults and larvae feed on aphids.

Active
March - October.

Habitat
Abundant everywhere.

Distribution
Throughout most of Europe, incl. Britain.


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Taxonomy


Superkingdom: Eukaryota; Kingdom: Metazoa; Phylum: Arthropoda; Superclass: Hexapoda; Superclass: Hexapoda; Class: Insecta; Subclass: Neoptera; Order: Coleoptera; Family: Coccinellidae; Genus: Coccinella; Species: 7-punctata

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