Lady bugs by Siwa

This post is for the beetles referred to as lady bugs, lady beetles or lady birds. These beetles are beneficial to farmers and gardeners because they feed on pests like aphids, mealy bugs, white flies, and others. When most people think of lady bugs, they tend to think of the seven spotted lady beetle (Coccinella septempunctata), the little red one with black spots; there are actually a lot of other kinds, blue ones, black ones, yellow ones, speckled ones and even some with stripes. Here are a few pictures of the kinds I've found around our yard.

Convergent lady beetle ( Hippodamia convergens)

Three striped lady beetle (Brumoides suturalis)

A lady beetle larva. It will eventually make a pupae, like a butterfly, and hatch as an adult lady beetle.

Steel blue lady beetle (Halmus chalybeus). This lady beetle has a metallic bluish green shell.

Ash gray lady beetle (Olla v. nigrum)

A Dark blue lady beetle (Curinus coeruleus) with some aphids.