The thirteen-spotted lady beetle (Hippodamia tredecimpunctata)
Native Lady Beetle Highlight – The Thirteen-spotted Lady Beetle
The thirteen-spotted lady beetle (Hippodamia tredecimpunctata) is characterized by having 13 small, black spots on its gold to orange elytra. (Though in some cases the three spots near the center/anterior of the elytra may be fused together, giving the appearance of less than 13 spots.) This species prefers marshy habitat and meadows, often associated with lakesides, river deltas, and flood plains. You can most often find the thirteen-spotted lady beetle on grasses and sedges where it feeds on aphids, but it also can be found in some crop systems or in gardens. This species is found throughout most of the Northern hemisphere, however, it is unfortunately in serious decline in some parts of Eastern Canada. The decline of this species (and several others) has been associated with changes in land use and introduction of non-native lady beetles.
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