White-spot Ladybird Calvia decemguttata
Other names: Jersey Ladybird
Two old records, probably relating to migrants, Killarney, Ireland, 1927 and England in the 19th century.
In 2018 White-spot Ladybird established a breeding population on Jersey in the Channel Islands and also spread to Guernsey.
In 2025 White-spot Ladybird became established in Hampshire with sightings of adults and larvae. Reported from Ashurst, Lyndhurst, Matley, Denny Wood and Dibden Pilieu in the New Forest.
Also reported from the West End area of Southampton in both 2024 and 2025.
In August 2025 Mark Hows and I visited the New Forest and easily found numerous White-spot Ladybirds, with one in Matley Wood and eight in Denny Wood.
Identification Length 5.0-6.5mm
Easily mistaken for Orange Ladybird but the pattern of spots is actually quite different.
The most obvious feature to check is the presence of four spots in the centre of the wing cases forming a roughly rectangular area. These spots are usually elongate and can be large, although they are sometimes smaller.
There are a further two spots on the outer edge of each wing case and a pair of large spots at the rear. These rear spots are often irregularly shaped.
In contrast Orange Ladybird has a distinctive double row of five smaller spots running either side of the wing case central line. There are a further three spots on the outer edge of each wing case, with the central one inset towards the middle of the wing case.
The pronotum pattern of White-spot Ladybird is similar to the closely related Cream-spot Ladybird, with a white fish-hook pattern on each side. There is usually a pale line running from the head to the wing case central line where it flairs out into a small spot.
The head and pronotum of Orange Ladybird is very different with a transparent pronotum with a series of yellow markings on it.
Matley Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Matley Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Matley Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Matley Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
With Orange Ladybird (top left)
Habitat
Occurs in deciduous trees and feeds on aphids.
In August 2025 nine seen on a day trip to the New Forest included six tapped from Beech trees, including three together and singles in Holly, birch and Wych Elm. These were all found in sheltered areas of dense woodland.
Beech trees Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Birch tree Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Wych Elm Denny Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Holly Matley Wood, New Forest, South Hampshire
Many White-spot Ladybird records have come from moth traps, both in Southampton and the New Forest.
Orange Ladybird is also regular in moth traps and many in the moth trapping community are already familiar with this species. Alerting moth trappers to the presence of White-spot Ladybird might be a useful way of monitoring the species potential spread and could result in records in neighbouring counties.
Other similar species
Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quatuordecimguttata is closely related to White-spot Ladybird but is quite different. It is a deep chestnut or maroon colour, although teneral specimens are paler and can look more orangey in bright sunlight.
The distinctive feature is a row of six transverse spots running across the forward third of the wing cases.
It is a common, although rarely numerous species, found in woodlands, parks and gardens.
12-spot Ladybird Vibidia duodecimguttata is a rare historical migrant but is one to look out for as more European species are likely to move north with a warming climate.
It is another orange species with white spots. It is slightly smaller than the other species and has a distinctive group of six spots in the centre of the wing cases forming a circle.
