Ladybugs are some of the most beloved insects worldwide, primarily because they’re cute. Ladybugs are unique in their appearance and fascinating in their personality.
What some may not know, however, is that there are hundreds of different types of ladybugs in Florida alone!
From the common Asian Ladybug to the Seven-Spotted Ladybug, there’s plenty to learn about our local ladybugs, even if you aren’t interested in keeping them as pets or battling them off your plants in your backyard garden.
Here are ten types of ladybugs found throughout Florida that you should know about if you live here or visit this state!
1. Convergent Lady Beetle
In the United States, there are more than 450 types of ladybugs! One type you might find in Florida is the convergent lady beetle.
Convergent lady beetles look like they have a red head and black body with two white spots on their wing covers.
They are also called Asian ladybugs because they were brought to North America from Asia to control aphids.
Convergent lady beetles can be found throughout the United States and Canada, but they prefer warm climates. Convergent lady beetles feed on pests such as aphids, mealy bugs, and scale insects.
These types of ladybugs in Florida lay their eggs in clumps near food sources for them to eat later. The eggs turn from yellow to orange before they hatch.
When they emerge, convergent lady beetles resemble tiny alligators crawling around, looking for something to eat!
It takes about seven weeks before these types of ladybugs become adults. Most adult convergent lady beetles live an average of one year.
2. Two-Spotted Lady Beetle
Two-spotted lady beetles are found throughout the United States. They measure 1/2 to 3/4 inches long and have a black body with two red spots on each wing cover. This beetle eats aphids and other insects that damage plants.
Two-spotted ladybeetles are often confused with other ladybugs because they also have two spots per wing cover.
However, two-spotted lady beetles can be distinguished by their black bodies with red dots. There are many types of ladybugs in Florida and around the world.
They come in many different colors and sizes to eat different types of pests and protect crops from infestation by bugs.
These helpful beetles consume agricultural pests such as aphids and mites, saving farmers money and protecting produce.
The two-spotted lady beetle is found all over North America and is black with two red spots per wing cover.
It eats harmful insects like plant lice (aphids). It looks very similar to other ladybugs but can be distinguished by its distinct color scheme.
3. Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetle
The multi-colored Asian lady beetle is one of the types of ladybugs in Florida. They are typically tan with black spots on their wing covers. Their heads are red, with a black mark on each side.
This type is also known as the two-spotted Asian lady beetle. They live year-round in Florida, though it’s common to see them hibernating during cold winter months.
Another type of Ladybug that lives in the Sunshine State is the convergent lady beetle.
These beetles are found in North America, Central America, South America, and Africa. Convergent lady beetles like to eat aphids, making them great garden friends!
You can tell these bugs apart from others because of their unique head shape.
It has a large projection at the front end, which makes it look like it’s looking down its nose at you (just kidding).
Sometimes these bugs are confused with stink bugs but don’t worry, convergent lady beetles don’t emit an odor when disturbed and don’t bite either!
4. Fourteen-Spotted Ladybird Beetle
The fourteen-spotted ladybird beetle is one of Florida’s most common ladybug types. These beetles are brightly colored and can be found throughout the state, though they live primarily in wooded areas.
The fourteen-spotted ladybird beetle spends its life eating aphids, which are tiny insects that suck sap from plants and leaves.
This beetle is a beneficial insect because it helps maintain healthy plant life. Unlike other ladybirds, these types of ladybugs in Florida do not produce a chemical compound that smells like rotten fruit or citronella to keep predators away from their young. Instead, this type of beetle relies on camouflage to stay safe.
When threatened, this type of beetle will walk away instead of trying to fight back. This type will huddle with others in clusters to survive through cold and unfavorable weather conditions.
5. Ornate Checkered Beetle
Ornate Checkered Beetles, also known as Japanese Beetles, are one of Florida’s most common ladybugs. They are often a pest to farmers because they feed on crops and can also damage trees and shrubs.
While they do not bite or sting humans, they can emit a foul odor if squashed.
It is best to avoid touching these types of ladybugs in Florida at all costs. The spots on their back are pretty large, making them easy to identify.
They measure about 0.5 inches long and are black with alternating red and yellow markings on their wing covers.
Some varieties can be black or white with splotches of red or orange instead. These types of ladybugs in Florida live up to two years during the winter months and reproduce until late summer.
These types of ladybugs will eat just about anything that has rotting plant matter, such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, leaves, carrion (dead animals), fungi (mushrooms), or dung (animal excrement). One type even eats algae!
6. Seven-Spotted Ladybug
The Seven-Spotted Ladybug is our most common type of Ladybug in Florida. It’s about 1/4 inch long and is primarily red, with seven black spots on each wing cover.
It also has a black head and mouth parts, often hidden by the branches while not feeding.
This Ladybug feeds on garden pests like aphids, scales, and mealy bugs. They usually hide under leaves, bark, or flowers during the day to avoid predators.
These different types of ladybugs in Florida Seven-Spotted Ladybug pupates for about ten days before emerging as an adult.
Adults live up to 2 years! They can overwinter outdoors when there is no frost or inside buildings where it doesn’t get cold.
Seven-spotted Ladybugs produce two to four generations annually in Florida, while only one generation may occur further north.
When they mate, the male deposits a spermatophore on the ground or vegetation near the female, which she picks up and stores until she lays her eggs.
When she finds food, she gives some to her eggs and then covers them with soil or another substrate for protection. Most eggs hatch within three weeks after being laid.
7. Cardinal Ladybird
The Cardinal Ladybird is the most common type of Ladybug. It is bright red with black spots on its wings and has a small white dot on its back. They are found worldwide but are especially prevalent in warmer climates.
These types of ladybugs in Florida feed primarily on aphids, mealy bugs, and soft scales, which can benefit farmers and gardeners.
One downside to these ladybugs is that they may eat plant leaves and pests, so keeping them from infesting your plants too much is essential.
Try spraying them with light soap if you see them crawling around on your plants.
You should also remove any weeds or flowers near your plants because this attracts more pests, which means more food for the ladybugs. If you decide to kill them, it’s best to use an organic pesticide.
You can find these ladybugs during spring and fall as they migrate from one place to another. Because ladybirds fly, you may see some flying around your yard even if there aren’t many on plants or crawling on walls.
8. Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
The Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle is one of Florida’s ten types of ladybugs. They are similar to other ladybug types, with a few exceptions.
The body is usually a bright red with orange spots on its wing coverings, but it can also be pinkish-orange with black holes on the wing covers.
These types of ladybugs in Florida bodies can be anywhere from 3⁄4 inch to 11⁄4 inches long, and they have short antennae that are brown or black and spotted like their wings.
The larvae are red and oval-shaped with black spots around their head. The larvae grow into adults by molting their old skin and growing larger because they eat all the time!
The Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle has a type of defense called an osmeterium located under its neck. When threatened, this osmeterium will produce an unpleasant odor for predators to back away from!
9. Twelve-Spotted Lady Beetle
The Twelve-spotted Lady Beetle is a type of Ladybug found throughout much of North America. Its reddish-orange coloration can identify it with 12 black spots on the wing covers. The larvae are orange, have blackheads and legs, and feed on aphids.
Adults eat soft-bodied insects, including aphids, plant bugs, thrips, mites, and whiteflies. They also drink flower nectar.
These types of ladybugs in Florida overwinter as adults under leaves or other cover objects and emerge from hibernation in early spring.
10. Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle
The Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle is the most common Ladybug in Florida. The beetle’s name comes from the number and placement of spots on its back, which range from three to fifteen and are often concentrated in two rows.
Most Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetles are orange or red with tiny black dots on their back.
These types of ladybugs in Florida can be found throughout the year, but it is rare to see them from November through April.
The female uses her long, needle-like ovipositor to deposit eggs into cracks and crevices near aphids, mealybugs, scales, or other types of pests that serve as the larval Ladybug‘s food source. Once hatched, the larvae will eat and then pupate.
The Fifteen-Spotted Lady Beetle will feed on nectar and pollen as an adult. They eat oranges, grapefruits, apples, bananas, strawberries, and watermelon!
Conclusion
Ladybugs are fascinating creatures that fly through the air and can come in various colors. There are over 3,000 different types, some being as small as an ant and others as giant as a two-inch-long beetle.
These types of ladybugs in Florida tend to live near human settlements because they eat more human food sources, like plants and flowers, than other types.
The four types found most often in Florida include: the colorful seven-spotted species, commonly called the Coccinellidae family; orange patches on their backs; females lay eggs, and males have more prominent spots on their wings.
They’re not toxic and only bite when feeling threatened or under duress.
Lastly, these ladybugs in Florida don’t drink water but instead rely on food for moisture.
