Identification
Coccinella quinquepunctata is a medium-sized, quite rounded, domed ladybird with an adult body length of 3-5 mm (see first two pictures below). The elytra are red with a pair of large central black spots, two smaller postero-lateral spots and a single large black spot on the scutellum, the latter partially bordered with white patches. Rarely there may be up to four additional small spots. The pronotum is black with two antero-lateral white marks. The Coccinella quinquepunctata head is black with two small white marks.
First two images above in public domain, copyright pudding4brains under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 1.0 Unported License.
Third image above copyright Gilles San Martin under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.
The fourth instar larva of Coccinella quinquepunctata is dark grey with mostly black tubercles. There are bright orange lateral patches on the prothorax, and the ventro-lateral tubercles on the metathorax are orange. There are also orange patches on the dorso-lateral and ventro-lateral tubercles on the first and fourth abdominal segments and on the dorsolateral tubercles of the sixth and seventh abdominal segments.
Biological control & Distribution
Coccinella quinquepunctata is found through most of Europe including Norway and Sweden, but there seems to be little information available on its distribution outside of Europe. In Britain they are restricted to vegetation on unstable river shingle. In continental Europe they occur in more varied habitats. The five-spot ladybird feeds on aphids on nettles, thistles and other low plants.
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