Question: how can you tell the difference to a male ladybird to a female ladybird?

Natalie Pilakouta answered on 20 Jun 2014:

Good question! If you see two ladybugs are mating, then it is easy to tell which one is male and which one is female. The male climbs on the female from behind, and the male is usually smaller than the female.

If you find only one ladybug on its own, it’s harder to tell whether it’s a male or a female. The way to tell usually depends on the specific species and most of the time you need a microscope to look at their reproductive organs. However, I’ve heard that for some species, you can look at their eyes. If they are heart-shaped then it’s a male and if they are round it’s a female – but this may not always be true!