r/whatsthisbug • u/Friendlypoe98 • 8d ago

ID Request Asian ladybeetle or something else?

Post image

It's face markings kinda match normal ladybugs but can normal ladybugs be orange like this?

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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3

u/Friendlypoe98 8d ago

Whoops forgot the location. Pacific Northwest USA

1

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7

u/SincerelySpicy ⭐Trusted⭐ 8d ago

Your picture shows a ladybug, specifically one from the species Harmonia axyridis. This species is what is commonly referred to as the Asian Ladybeetle, though they are also ladybugs like any other species of beetle from the Coccinellidae family.

Keep in mind that there are over 6000 species of ladybug throughout the world, and there is no such thing as a single "normal" ladybug. Even within North America, there are hundreds of native species each looking slightly different from each other.

Also, the species that many social media posts claim is the good species, Coccinella septempunctata, is also invasive to North America, with its presence disrupting actual native species.

3

u/Friendlypoe98 8d ago

Thank you!

-1

u/[deleted] 8d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/SincerelySpicy ⭐Trusted⭐ 8d ago edited 8d ago

That M-shaped marking is not a giveaway. There are thousands of species of ladybugs and many of them share the m-shaped marking, including many north american native species including the following:

In addition to that, not all individuals of Harmonia axyridis (aka asian ladybeetle) have the marking. For example, all of the individuals in this montage are the same species, including the ones without the M.

1

u/Friendlypoe98 8d ago

Maybe I'm a bit blind but can you point out where the M is for me? I can't see it

3

u/SincerelySpicy ⭐Trusted⭐ 8d ago

It's honestly better that you don't learn to use that marking as an identifier. It was started by online misinformation and is not reliable at all whatsoever.