Twenty-two-spot ladybird vs Two-spotted lady beetle

These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a twenty-two-spot ladybird from a two-spotted lady beetle, and whether either one bites or stings.

≠The key differences

Much larger black spots (often two) on a red background and is an aphid predator, not a mildew feeder.

	Twenty-two-spot ladybird	Two-spotted lady beetle
To humans	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
Size	3.0-4.5 mm long	3.5-5 mm long
Colours	Yellow, Black, Brown (underside/legs)	Red, Black, Orange
Family	Coccinellidae	Coccinellidae
Habitat	Meadows, hedgerows, gardens, damp grassland and wherever powdery mildew occurs on low vegetation	Gardens, orchards, parks, hedgerows, field margins and other places where aphids occur; also found on trees and shrubs
Range	Widespread across Europe and parts of the Palearctic region	Holarctic: native across much of Europe, Asia and North America; declining in parts of North America
Active	Mainly spring to autumn (April-September); active during daylight	Spring to autumn; active by day (diurnal); adults overwinter in sheltered sites
Pest?	No	No

Small size: 3.0-4.5 mm (much smaller than some common ladybirds)
Bright yellow elytra with about 20-22 black round spots; spots may fuse or vary in number
Favors low vegetation and is often found on plants with powdery mildew rather than on aphid colonies
Pronotum yellow with five small black spots (not fully black)

Small domed beetle 3.5-5 mm long with one large spot on each elytron (two spots total) in the common red/orange form
Colour polymorphism: check for black form with a pair of orange/red spots; pronotal markings (white or pale patches) help confirm identity
Smaller and with different pronotal pattern than the larger Harmonia axyridis (Asian lady beetle) and different spot counts from Coccinella septempunctata

Much larger black spots (often two) on a red background and is an aphid predator, not a mildew feeder.

Twenty-two-spot ladybird: Non-toxic. Two-spotted lady beetle: Non-toxic. Not venomous and does not pose a medical risk. Not dangerous.

Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.