Beetle, Spotted Lady Beetle, Pink Spotted Ladybeetle

The Pink-spotted Ladybeetles are native to North America. Among other things, they eat aphids.

We have noticed in the fall they will congregate on our house much like the Asian Ladybugs, but I have never had an infestation inside the house. I may have only seen one or two. When I moved a rock early this spring, I found a bunch of them hibernating there. I gingerly put the rock back.

I have never seen as many as I have this spring. Did they find enough food last year and have a winter suited to their needs? I am thrilled they seem to be thriving here. They are all over the dandelions and other plants right now. I accidentally bring some into the house when I harvest the flowers, but try to release them back outside.

Editing to include some o... read morebservations I have made this fall in regards to their diet. Yes, aphids are a plentiful food source for them when it is warm. But this is not all. I was shocked to see they not only ate spiders, but also will eat each other! I am hoping this was an unusual occurrence. The hapless beetle was wrapped in webbing, so likely something happened to the spider that was planning to eat it. Maybe the easy meal, even of its own kind, was too much to pass up. What do these little insects think in their small brains?