One of two small ladybirds with a yellow base colour and black spots in Ireland, the other being the 14-spot Ladybird. The current species however has 22 spots which are rarely fused together, as well as a slightly lighter yellow base colour. It is one of the commoner garden species.
Distribution in Ireland: Widespread and common over much of Ireland.
Habitat: A generalist which can be found in a number of habitats, but deciduous woodlands, parkland, gardens, farmland and scrub often hold greater numbers. It can be found anywhere with herbaceous vegetation.
Habits: Like the Orange Ladybird, this species feeds on powdery mildews but prefers those growing on the leaves of a variety of herbaceous plants. It is usually found on low-growing vegetation such as Hogweed, Cow Parsley, Foxglove, nettles, burdocks and many more. Overwintering sites are typically close to the ground and include grassy tussocks, Ivy and sometimes Gorse bushes. It can often be common where it is found and may overwinter in small aggregations.
