2025 was my third year of looking for ladybirds and I continued to find new species. The highlight was finding the Scarce 7-spot Ladybird in Northamptonshire in September. It was the third time I had been to look for it, and very satisfying. It is shown above with the very common 7-spot Ladybird which had a good year and was seen in great numbers all over the country, even interrupting a test match. Here's another view of the Scarce 7-spot.
I posted it on this blog, finishing off by saying that my next target was the Hieroglyphic Ladybird, one I had been to look for in various places several times. And the very next day I found two, only a couple of miles from here while I wasn't even looking for them. Previously very rare in the North East (and everywhere else), there were several reports up here this summer so this is another species that had a good year.
The Hieroglyphic Ladybird also has a melanic form and I found one of those a few days later.
Another new species came from my mother's garden. This one is tiny, the appropriately named Dot Ladybird, one of a group known as inconspicuous ladybirds or microladybirds, which are small, usually hairy, and mainly lack spots.
Here is another one, not quite as small but also black, Scymnus nigrinus, also known as the Black Ladybird.
And another, this time with spots, Nephus quadrimaculatus, also known as Ivy Ladybird. This one is about 2mm.
And Rhyzobius chrysomeloides, both these last two from Mum's garden as well. This one is 3mm.
Another species that thrived in 2025 was Adonis' Ladybird. I had only seen two before but there were lots to find this year.
Finally a few favourites from the many dozens of other photos I could have included. A Striped Ladybird,
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