Lady beetles
Coccinellidae
Beetle
Family-level entry for the lady beetles (ladybugs), whose adults and larvae are predators of aphids, scale insects, and other soft-bodied pests on garden and crop plants. Both life stages consume aphids in large numbers, making the family one of the most recognized beneficial-insect groups for aphid-prone plantings. Many species overwinter as adults in leaf litter, under bark, beneath stones, and inside hollow plant stems, often clustering in aggregations, so leaving leaf litter and standing dead stems through winter provides shelter habitat.
Conservation
The family is mixed: several introduced species (such as the sevenspotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata, and the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis) are now widespread and abundant in North America, while some native species have declined sharply. The ninespotted lady beetle (Coccinella novemnotata), once among the most common coccinellids in the northeastern U.S. and now extremely rare, is profiled by the Xerces Society as an at-risk beetle; its decline is associated with the establishment of introduced coccinellids. There is no family-wide IUCN, Xerces Red List tier, or USFWS listing - status is species-specific.
Plan for this species
Location-fit plant set for Chicago, IL: host and specialist plants first, then nectar, fruit, seed, foliage, and shelter plants that still fit the current and mid-century climate read.
0 essential relationships / 6 supporting plants
Host/specialist links: 0
Forage/pollination links: 2
Shelter links: 4
Relationship roles: 3
Lanceleaf coreopsis
Supporting / Pollen plants
The Wildflower Center conservation-biological-control flag is functional rather than taxonomic, and lady beetles are the other main beneficiary of an accessible pollen source in a sunny planting: adults supplement an aphid diet with pollen and are drawn to open flowers near their prey. Wikipedia separately names beetles among the visitors. Neither statement identifies Coccinellidae on this species, so it stays plausible.
European silver fir
Supporting / Foliage plants
Lady beetles (adults and larvae) are generalist aphid predators that work conifer foliage where aphids and adelgids occur, so silver fir can host them as a feeding ground. Graded plausible - like the lacewings, the relationship is with the insect prey, not a floral reward, since this is a wind-pollinated tree with no nectar or showy flowers.
European spindle
Supporting / Shelter plants
As a primary winter host of the black bean aphid, spindle reliably harbours aphid colonies that ladybirds and their larvae feed on - the same trait that makes it a poor neighbour for a vegetable plot makes it valuable for predatory beneficial insects.
American elderberry
Supporting / Shelter plants
Anise hyssop
Supporting / Shelter plants
Apple
Supporting / Shelter plants
Plants in the catalog
Pollen plants · 1
The Wildflower Center conservation-biological-control flag is functional rather than taxonomic, and lady beetles are the other main beneficiary of an accessible pollen source in a sunny planting: adults supplement an aphid diet with pollen and are drawn to open flowers near their prey. Wikipedia separately names beetles among the visitors. Neither statement identifies Coccinellidae on this species, so it stays plausible.
Foliage plants · 1
Lady beetles (adults and larvae) are generalist aphid predators that work conifer foliage where aphids and adelgids occur, so silver fir can host them as a feeding ground. Graded plausible - like the lacewings, the relationship is with the insect prey, not a floral reward, since this is a wind-pollinated tree with no nectar or showy flowers.
Shelter plants · 20
As a primary winter host of the black bean aphid, spindle reliably harbours aphid colonies that ladybirds and their larvae feed on - the same trait that makes it a poor neighbour for a vegetable plot makes it valuable for predatory beneficial insects.
Range
Coccinellidae occur across North America. Native species ranges vary; the declining ninespotted lady beetle historically occupied much of the continental U.S. and southern Canada.
Sources & citations
Cite this page
Use this citation for the Plotwright wildlife record. Use the source cards below to explore the references that informed its taxonomy, range, conservation, host plants, foraging, and habitat.
Plotwright. (n.d.). Lady beetles (Coccinellidae). Retrieved 2026, August 20, from https://plotwright.com/wildlife/lady-beetles
Sources used for this record
This record is compiled from the sources below.
Wikipedia: Coccinellidae
Family reference for lady beetle taxonomy, aphid and scale predation, introduced/native species context, and beneficial-insect role.
Wikipedia: Coccinella novemnotata
Corroborating species profile for the declining native ninespotted lady beetle, historical range, rarity, and aphid-feeding biocontrol context.
GBIF: Coccinellidae
GBIF backbone family Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) confirmed by an exact family-rank match on usageKey 7782.
iNaturalist: Coccinellidae
iNaturalist family Coccinellidae (lady beetles) with observation-backed distribution data.