24-Spot Ladybird

This was a new sighting for us - a 24-spot ladybird (Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata).

It was very tiny, about 3mm and I needed my glasses to confirm it had spots. This one actually has 24 spots but they can have less than that, with distortion to the spot shape. The russet head and pronotum along with light orange legs make it easy to identify from other species.

Its wing cases are slightly hairy so it appears dull rather than shiny.

Unusually for a ladybird its foodstuff is false oat grass and red campion rather than aphids. I’m wondering whether it was blown across to our site from the marsh, which is a more likely area for it to live and breed. Obviously a very welcome tiny visitor.