Many of our native lady beetle species are quite beautiful. The V-marked lady beetle (Neoharmonia venusta) is very attractive. The pattern can vary greatly among individuals, but most in this species have a V on the back.
Donna Brunet
V-Marked Lady Beetle
Neoharmonia venusta
Other Common Name:
V-Marked Ladybug; Charming Lady Beetle
Family:
Coccinellidae (ladybird beetles) in the order Coleoptera (beetles)
Description:
The V-marked lady beetle, one of our many native lady beetles, is very attractive. The pattern and coloration can vary greatly among individuals, but most in this species have a V on the back. They eat a variety of soft-bodied insects, including the larvae of leaf beetles. One of their principal foods are leaf beetles that feed on the leaves of willows.
Learn more about this and other lady beetles (ladybugs) on their group page.
Similar Species
Lady Beetles (Ladybird Beetles; Ladybugs)
Nearly 500 species in North America north of Mexico
Four-Spotted Lady Beetle
Brachiacantha quadripunctata
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
Convergent Lady Beetle
Hippodamia convergens
Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle
Coccinella septempunctata
Polished Lady Beetle
Cycloneda munda
Leaf Beetles
About 2,000 species in North America
Ninebark Calligraphy Beetle
Calligrapha spiraea
Cocklebur Weevil
Rhodobaenus quinquepunctatus
Scarab Beetles
About 1,700 species in North America north of Mexico
About Land Invertebrates in Missouri
Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods—invertebrates with “jointed legs” — are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.