14 April 2004

A Closer Look: Ladybug

Bill Dembowski

Whether you call them ladybugs, ladybeetles, or ladybirds the members of the family Coccinellidae (meaning "little sphere") are beautiful little beetles and well deserving of a closer look.

From the Top

Ladybugs are often given common names that include the number of spots on their wing covers (elytra). But with over 4,000 species worldwide, and 350 in North America alone, one soon runs out of numbers.

From the Bottom

The underside of this Ladybug shows the characteristic folding of the legs.

Head

The head is partially and sometimes completely concealed by the pronotum, a sort of driver's helmet. Note the compound eyes.

Antenna

The head also contains a pair of antennae. In the case of the Ladybug they are short (not uncommon for a flying insect) and "clubbed."

Leg

A hind leg. Even when extended, the legs are seldom (or barely) seen from the top.

Wing

The elytra of beetles are often so beautiful, not to mention a key to their identification, that the wings are often ignored.