Stats

Lifespan: 1-2 yrs
Size: Small
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Temperate grassland
Range: Eurasia
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Warning Colors
Status: Common

About

A small ladybird beetle with a striking cream-yellow body patterned with exactly 14 black spots — 7 on each wing cover — that can merge into a bold chequered design. Unlike the classic red ladybird, its pale colouration makes it unmistakable among garden aphid hunters.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Propylea
Species: Propylea quatuordecimpunctata