Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata (often abbreviated to Psyllobora 22-punctata), the 22-spot ladybird, (earlier known as Thea vigintiduopunctata) is a common, 3–5 mm long ladybird native to Europe. This species was originally discovered in Germany in 1874 on the leaves of Astragalus, consuming the hyphae of Erysiphe holosericea. The elytra are yellow in colour with 22 black spots. The pronotum is yellow or white with 5 black spots.
This is the only ladybird species in Britain and Ireland where the three life stages have very similar coloring and pattern; the pupa and larva look similar to the adult form, making them conspicuous and easier to identify. Unlike most other ladybirds which feed on aphids, P. 22-punctata eats mildew — especially from umbellifers and low-growing shrubs.
The 22-spot ladybird is best looked for amongst low vegetation. It has occasionally been found in woodlands, on lower branches of young trees and in some coastal areas. In a survey conducted between 1960 and 1965 by G.I. Savoiskaya in South-Eastern Kazakhstan, up to 500 individuals were found overwintering together in the leaf litter at the bases of birches, hawthorns and wild apple trees. These instances were noted as being found between 1000 meters and 2000 meters above sea level.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew officially recorded their first 22-spot lady bird in 1969, publishing this finding along with many other additions to their wild flora and fauna records. The hemolymph of the 22-spot ladybird beetle contains a dimeric alkaloid, psylloborine A, which has unique structural features, highlighting the species' complex chemical defenses and evolutionary adaptations. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 2 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 4 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a 22-Spot Ladybird sighting in Munich on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 190th most-seen of the 521 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–May and July–August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a 22-Spot Ladybird in Munich on a given day, against under 5% in June and September–March, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most 22-Spot Ladybird sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
41st of 42
Of the 42 cities where we can rate 22-Spot Ladybird sightings, Munich ranks 41st at under 5%. The best odds are in Kharkiv (Ukraine, about 20%), Sofia (Bulgaria, about 20%) and Kyiv (Ukraine, about 20%).
Same family: Coccinellidae
The closest relatives of the 22-Spot Ladybird that you can see in Munich (family Coccinellidae, Lady Beetles) are Asian Lady Beetle (about 30%), Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 10%) and Variegated Lady Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the 22-Spot Ladybird is recorded against all the insects logged in Munich (14 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
