This species is one of the more elusive species in Ireland, despite being rather widespread. It has a dull rusty-orange background colour with several black dashes and spots, said to resemble an Egyptian hieroglyph. Other forms occur occasionally, including one with bolder markings and another which is almost entirely black.
Distribution in Ireland: Widespread but very local. It is likely under-recorded and is probably present in most heathland or boggy areas across Ireland.
Habitat: Restricted to areas with heather, such as bogland margins, heath and heathy scrub, usually with wet patches to facilitate the required growth of heather plants for the prey species, the Heather Leaf Beetle (Lochmaea suturalis).
Habits: Preys on the larvae of the Heather Leaf Beetle, although the adults may also consume aphids and the larvae of several other leaf beetles. It is usually found on Ling, particularly mature plants with luxuriant, sucuclent growth. These plants tend to occur around the margins of bogs where the peat is deeper, rather than the middle. Consequently, the ladybirds tend to follow suit. Overwintering sites are not well known in Ireland, but probably include the litter under heather and nearby gorse bushes. It may also overwinter among Ling itself, where its colouration would theoreticallly offer excellent camouflage among the dead seed-heads of the Ling, but this has not been observed thus far.
