RSPB Spotlight Ladybirds

Brightly coloured and pleasingly patterned, ladybirds are among some of our most beloved and familiar invertebrates. Their role in helping to protect our crops by devouring huge numbers of pests has firmly established these tiny, flying beetles as the gardeners' friend.

Spotlight Ladybirds focuses on the 26 species that are resident in the UK, from the widespread but unusual Orange Ladybird to the rare – and aptly named – Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. Ladybird expert, Richard Comont considers the conservation challenges facing these iconic species, whose populations are now at risk thanks to the threat posed by one of their own, the invasive alien Harlequin Ladybird. And he covers all aspects of ladybirds' biology, from tiny larvae emerging from their oval eggs to large aggregations that converge at specific sites around the world. Richard also examines the natural history and cultural significance of this fascinating group of beetles, from Ladybird Books to Thor.

The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photos and informative expert text.

About the Author

Richard Comont is an ecologist and the winner of the 2016 Gilbert White Award for terrestrial and freshwater biological recording. He works as Science Manager for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and is part of the UK Ladybird Survey team. Richard earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Oxford in 2014 for his work on the impacts of the Harlequin Ladybird on native ecosystems. He writes a wildlife blog and is a regular 'Local Patch' contributor to BBC Wildlife magazine.