Did you know that there are 13 different types of ladybugs in Canada? For example, one kind of ladybug in Canada is called the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle.
This name may seem odd at first, but it’s pretty accurate; this type of ladybug was initially imported from Asia and has become very common in Canada since its introduction to the country in the 1950s.
What’s your favorite? Find out more about each class by reading this article!
1. Cardinal Ladybird
The Cardinal ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is one of Canada’s most common ladybugs. They are also among the most significant types, with adults typically aged 12-19mm long.
Cardinal ladybirds have red wings and thorax, but the color may vary depending on their eating.
This type is native to Eastern Asia but has spread across North America due to people transporting or releasing plants for pest control. They prefer to eat aphids but will consume other insects if necessary.
Due to their voracious appetite and hardiness, they are seen as beneficial insects in many regions. They are indeed an invasive species in others due to their inability to coexist peacefully with other animals.
2. Convergent Lady Beetle
The Convergent lady beetle is a small, oval-shaped beetle with a black head and bright orange or red pronotum. It can be found across the country but is most common in eastern Canada.
These lady beetles are usually seen eating aphids on plants.
They overwinter as larvae in the soil and emerge in spring to feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects. They pupate during summer, emerging as adults the following spring.
Female convergent lady beetles lay their eggs by dipping their abdomens into the water and letting them dry before they fly off.
Larvae hatch out after two weeks, pupate after three weeks, and emerge as adults the following year.
3. Fourteen-Spotted Ladybird Beetle
The fourteen-spotted ladybird beetle is one of thirteen types of ladybugs in Canada. They are often red with black spots and white markings on the edge of their wing covers. They like to feed on aphids, scales, and thrips.
This type of ladybug can be found from Nova Scotia to Alberta and from the eastern United States to Montana. It prefers living in fields, meadows, pastures, and roadsides where it feeds on pest insects.
When looking for a place to lay eggs, this type of ladybug will fly high into the air before finding an appropriate location sheltered from the rain.
Once there, it will release its eggs by holding them close to its body before letting them go. The female will also ensure her eggs land near plants that produce food for her babies so they have something to eat after hatch.
4. Seven-Spotted Ladybug
Seven-spotted ladybug is a species that can be found in North America. This particular ladybug has been recorded to occupy different habitats, ranging from urban gardens to scrubland areas.
The seven-spotted ladybug is also known as the Coccinella septempunctata.
It can grow up to 1/2 an inch (2 cm) in length, and its antennae have seven spots. As with other types of ladybugs in Canada, this species is a predator and uses its mouthparts to pierce the skin or eggs of insects and feed on them.
The seven-spotted ladybug releases a smelly fluid containing toxins when threatened by predators, which acts as a deterrent for enemies.
When it lays eggs, it does so close to plants where aphids and other pests might live so the larvae will have something to eat when they hatch.
5. Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
The pink-spotted ladybeetles are a type of ladybug in Canada, the most common in North America. It has a white, oval-shaped body with two black spots on the back. The head and legs are also black.
This type likes to live near plants and shrubs in gardens but can also be found in many other locations. They feed on aphids and scale insects that damage crops.
If you find one outside, they are likely looking for food to return to their larvae or eggs.
If you want to capture them, use a container with some soapy water. Please pick up the insect and drop it into the container while holding your wings against it.
Make sure not to crush them! Then, release them outdoors, where they will continue to eat pesky bugs.
6. Two-Spotted Ladybug
The two-spotted ladybug is a diurnal insect that feeds on aphids and other soft-bodied insects. They are often found in gardens because they feed on the insects that damage plants.
These ladybugs in Canada are among the most common in North America.
The two-spotted ladybug has a black head with red to orange spots on each side, and its wings have some white markings near their tips. A lot of people call this bug ladybird.
This species is sometimes confused with similar-looking bugs, like the three-spotted ladybird (with three black dots on its back) or the seven-spotted ladybird (with seven black dots).
It also might be mistaken for an Asian multicolored lady beetle.
7. Twenty-Spotted Lady Beetle
Twenty-spotted ladybeetles are one of Canada’s most common types of ladybugs. They are sometimes called ‘seven spots’ because they have seven black spots on their elytra.
They are typically 4 mm to 5 mm long and round; the underside has two rows of black spots resembling an M shape when they curl up.
The twenty-spotted lady beetle lives all year round in North America, mostly in gardens where they eat various insects and weed seeds.
When winter weather gets too cold, this type moves to warmer climates like Mexico or Florida until spring arrives again.
They usually live around one year but can live up to three years if the conditions are right and food is plentiful.
Some predators of this type include birds, small mammals, spiders, and giant insects such as wasps and ants.
The larva stage starts with four orange dots followed by six white stripes, which gradually become dark brown as it grows into adulthood.
The pupa stage lasts about five days before transforming into adulthood after emerging from its cocoon shell.
8. Thirteen-Spot Lady Beetle
The thirteen-spot ladybirds are one of the most common types of ladybugs in Canada. It has a black head and thorax with twelve small red spots on each elytron (wing) and a red band along the outer edge.
The larva stage is orange with black markings, growing up to two inches long.
They are found in fields, meadows, forests, gardens, etc. They feed on aphids and other insects that damage plants, like leafhoppers, scale insectoids (insects), woolly apple aphids, and others that suck sap from leaves or fruit trees, such as pear trees.
The larvae eat other insects. Adults drink nectar and sugary water to provide energy for reproduction. Females lay eggs in clusters on leaves; eggs hatch after about four days, depending on temperature.
Larvae stay together until fully grown, then go their separate ways as adults.
9. Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle
The Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle is a native species of North America and can be found in eastern Canada. It is typically black, with 15 spots on each wing cover. Its head is reddish-orange with black markings, and its body has orange or red markings.
The Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle feeds on aphids and other small insects but will not eat plants. They are often active from spring through fall and like to hide under stones or pieces of wood during the winter.
Their larvae are usually yellow with orange spots, gradually becoming black as they grow older.
Adults have black heads with white markings around their eyes and a whitish stripe down their backs. As mentioned before, this species eats aphids and other small insects but doesn’t feed on plants.
They are active from spring through fall when it’s warm outside.
10. Eye-Spotted Lady Beetle
The eye-spotted ladybeetles are ladybugs in Canada, native to Eastern North America. These ladybugs in Canada are dark brown with red spots on their wing covers.
Eye-spotted ladybeetles have black eyes, making them easily distinguishable from other Canadian ladybugs.
These insects feed primarily on aphids and other plant pests, making them essential to a garden ecosystem.
The eye-spotted lady beetle is just one of the thirteen types found in Canada. Some Canadian types include the five-spotted, seven-spotted, nine-spotted, and ten-spotted.
One of these is the six-spotted (Coccinella septempunctata). These medium-sized bugs are also dark brown but have six large spots on each wing cover.
11. Three-Banded Lady Beetle
The three-banded ladybeetles are the most common type of ladybug in Canada. They are black and orange with three bands on its back. They are about 2-3mm long and have a black head.
The larvae are yellow-orange with a black head. Adults are usually seen from late May to late September.
This type is known for being among the most common ladybug types in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
These insects prey on aphids and other plant pests, which helps to protect crops such as soybeans and corn from damage by these destructive pests. A female adult can lay up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime at a rate of 10-40 eggs per day!
12. Asian Lady Beetle
Asian lady beetles are small, oval-shaped, and can range in color from green to brown. The Asian lady beetle is one of the many ladybugs in Canada.
Some speculate that these insects may be native to Asia but have been introduced to North America.
If you think about it, it makes sense that the name Asian would be used for these insects, considering the country they are supposed to originate from.
Many people enjoy keeping these as pets because they’re not known to bite or sting and will eat other household pests. They also release a pungent odor with a strong garlic-like smell when handled.
Many people enjoy keeping these as pets because they’re not known to bite or sting and will eat other household pests. They also release a pungent odor with a strong garlic-like smell when handled.
13. Ornate Checkered Beetle
If you look carefully, Canada’s 13th type of ladybug is the Ornate Checkered Beetle. These bugs have a variety of colorful markings that make them one of the most beautiful types to spot.
They are also known as the Striped Oak Leaf Beetle or the Ornamental Leaf Beetle, and they prefer oak trees and plants like ivy and figs.
The adult beetle is about an inch long and can grow up to 3 inches with its wings extended. One remarkable fact about this species is that the eggs hatch within three days if conditions are right!
There’s nothing quite like seeing these beautiful beetles in their natural habitat. So why not go on a nature walk and see how many different types you can find?
