Seven-Spot Ladybird

Everyone knows the ladybird. But look closer and the details are extraordinary.

The red colouring is aposematic — a warning. Ladybirds are toxic. When threatened, they secrete a foul-tasting alkaloid from their leg joints, a process called reflex bleeding. The bright red and black pattern tells predators: I taste awful. Do not bother.

The seven spots are not random. They are symmetrically arranged: three on each wing case and one shared across the middle. This consistency is genetically encoded and varies by species.

This particular shot was taken on a dewy morning in an English country garden. The water droplets on the shell caught the early light and turned each one into a tiny lens.