Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (2024)

Ladybugs come in many colors, as well as different sizes and shapes and when you find one it can seem like such an unusual type, particularly if it’s slightly more rectangle in shape than most ‘round’ ladybugs.

So you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve found a cute green looking little spotted or striped green ladybug. And you did the right thing in trying to understand more about it. Nature is not always as obvious as you might think.

So I’ve looked into this further and can share my findings. I hope it helps!

Ladybugs

Ladybugs

What is a Green Ladybug? Ladybugs fall within the Beetle Family Coccinellidae. Within this family, there are no records of green colored Ladybugs. So sadly it’s not a Ladybug. The most likely Beetle it could be is a member of the Chrysomelidae family, commonly known as the Cucumber Beetle. But let’s look at all the options.

But what do we know about actual Green Ladybugs?

Do Green Ladybugs Exist?

So, as mentioned, there are no actual Green Ladybugs within the ‘Ladybug Family’. But new discoveries are being made all the time, particularly in such a large area as the insect world, so we can’t say there are definitely none, or that there will never be any. All we can say for sure is that there are currently no reported official sighting of specimens of Green Ladybugs – I know, it would be super if there was!

However…

Green Ladybugs Exist Temporarily

Nature can play all kinds of tricks on us. An emerging ladybug just out of the Pupa stage may not yet have its final identifying colors and often no spots have developed either.

In the right setting, they may appear to be either a yellow color or even a very pale green color. Green Ladybugs in this form will have no spots, and will not be like this for long, usually no more than 24 hours. After that time its shell will have dried out and hardened into the natural color it will be throughout its adult life. The spots will also have appeared by that point too.

And if you see a spent pupa casing nearby then it’s more likely to be this so it’s worth looking more around where you found the Ladybug, particularly under leaves to see if you can find the spent pupa.

Colorful Images of Ladybugs

There are plenty of colorful ladybugs around, there are even more colorful ones on the internet. So, we have to be wary when someone shows us a green or other colored Ladybug.

This is because Ladybugs have been subject to photoshop artistry for a number of years now, and even the odd hoax here are there – most notably the one regarding Purple Ladybugs.

Here’s one I made myself from a stock photo. There are plenty of others you can find, or maybe have a go at making one yourself!

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (1)
Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (2)

So What Is This Green Ladybug?

As you’re probably looking at one right now or saw one. So let’s talk about what else that particular green bug might be – so we can identify it for you.

There are a few ‘Green Beetles’ around which might match the one you have in mind – or in view. So let’s discuss those, then we’ll move on to what the most likely candidate is.

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (3)

Ever Seen a Purple Ladybug?
Find Out More About Purple Ladybugs

Green Beetles

Here are some other varieties of green beetles that could be what you mean, or that you can look out for in the future. So, starting with the least likely Green Ladybug candidates first…

Green Stink Bug

The most unlikely candidate, but the Green Stink Bug, Green Soldier Bug or just Stink Bug, scientific name Chinavia hilaris, is a pest around 0.51-0.71 inches (13-18mm) in size, found throughout North America in gardens, woods, orchards, and crops – in particular, tomato, pea, bean, corn, eggplant, soybean, and cotton.

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (4)

Seen from around May till wintertime they’re bright green, angular, flat shaped beetles which emit a obnoxious stink when disturbed.

Figeater Beetle

Again an unlikely candidate to make you think it’s a Ladybug, but I included it just in case.

The figeater beetle is often mistaken for the June Beetle as they can look fairly similar to the more western cousins. Scientifically known as Cotonis mutabilis, and known as the Green Fruit Beetle or Fig Beetle.

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The Figeater beetle can be a brighter green, they can grow to approximately 1.25 inches (3.2cm) and are active during the day, often preferring the shade. They will often eat the fruit from cactus trees as well as sap from desert trees.

Since the growing popularity of composting. Home gardens and mulch since the 1960s, they’ve spread fairly rapidly and can be found over many parts of Western United States, often where the climate is quite moist and rotting vegetation or mulch is more abundant. You would probably not recognize this as being a Green ladybug.

Still not found your Green Ladybug?
Ok, let’s move on to more likely candidates…

Green Shield Bug Nymph

Typically around 12-13.5 mm in length. Adults are bright green in the spring and summer but nymphs have darker patches and of course are generally smaller. Resembling more of the Ladybug shape.

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (6)

Shield Bugs and Shield Bug Nymphs are fairly common throughout the northern hemisphere and fairly easy to identify. They’re known as Shield Bugs in Europe, in North America they could be compared with the Stink Bug.

image from reddit

They can be found almost all year round except winter months in and around many habitats, including fields, gardens, and parks.

Green June Beetle

A remote candidate for being mistaken as a Green Ladybug, but let’s start with this. The Scientific name; Cotonis nitida, also known as the June Bug, or June beetle. These belong to the family Scarabaeidae. Mostly found in the Eastern United States and more so in the South, but have been seen as far west as California. Often mistaken for the figeater Beetle which is next on our list.

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (7)

You’ll see them during the day and they’re quite large, the adults are about an inch long, 15-22 mm so that would be some sizeable Ladybug! It has a dull metallic hue to the body which gives the green impression.

Their Larva feeds mainly on mold and hummus but they can seriously damage root systems of plants and vegetables. The adults appear in June (of course) and will begin feeding on Fruits, mainly grapes, peaches, berries, apples, nectarines, pears, and figs.

Green Dock Beetle

These are a little more likely to catch your eye as a possible Green Ladybug. Gastrophysa viridula, also known as the Green Dock Beetle, Green Dock Leaf Beetle and also the Green Sorrel Beetle.

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The size fits more closely at around 0.16 – 0.28 inches (4-7mm). They have a metallic shimmering sheen to them too. Found in central Europe right through to Siberia in Asia. Their natural habitat is forests, heathland, gardens, fields, and meadows – anywhere there is plant dock, which is this beetles chosen food source.

Photo by Egor KamelevfromPexels

If it’s none of these, then we’re left with the main possibility of the Spotted Cucumber Beetle – which is the most likely candidate. Let’s take a look at that.

The Spotted Cucumber Beetle (The Most Likely Green Ladybug)

The Cucumber Beetle is not part of the Ladybug family, green, through to yellow in color with 6 large black spots on each side or three stripes down the body, and looks very similar to many Ladybug types. The main difference you’ll see is that they’re antennae are longer and thinner than Ladybugs.

Their bodies are generally the same size 0.2 inches (0.5mm) in size, but generally longer and more ‘oblong’ in shape than your average ladybug and they feed only on vegetation. They’re certainly not classed as beneficial Insects.

These are pests, native to North America, and during they’re short lives (around 8 weeks) they will happily eat their way through your crops and/or garden vegetables and plants mainly feeding on the stems and roots of plants as well as other parts like buds and flowers. They can destroy crops of Cucurbita type vegetables, which include squash, zucchini, gourds. and pumpkins. As well as watermelon, cucumbers and various melons.

These Are Definitely not a Green Ladybug I’m afraid!

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Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (10)

Cucumber Beetles Are Not Always Green

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The Cucumber Beetle has a color that stems from almost bright yellow, through to greeny yellows and then through to green. Some can even appear orange or have no spots or stripes, some have stripes and with some, it might be difficult to tell if they had either.

Cucumber Beetle Habitat

Their habitat is very similar to that of Ladybugs, but whereas Ladybugs are there mainly for Aphid colonies, the Cucumber Beetle is there for the vegetables. So you will find these in your gardens and crops – mainly around Vegetables like Cucumbers (of course).

Why We Think It’s a Ladybug

Both the Spotted and Striped Cucumber Beetle has similarities to Ladybugs that would make them appear to be Green Ladybugs, it’s a similar size, a similar shape and like all beetles, they have six legs. Its habitat is also similar to that of Ladybugs, and it’s larvae are of a similar type to many Ladybugs found in common gardens and fields.

Green Ladybug Meaning

Because they’re not green ladybugs there is no special meaning attached to them from a Ladybug Point of View, the only meaning we can attach to green ladybugs is that you’ve either witnessed a recently born Ladybug – which in itself is good luck! Or that you have a different type of green beetle in your garden.

For all the Ladybug meanings, head over to my other article on What Ladybugs Mean, in Love, Luck, Signs, and Symbols. Although, it’s not unheard of for other beetles to be symbols of sacred meaning. Scarab beetles were revered by the Egyptians as a religious sign of protection, resurrection, immortality, and transformation

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (12)

Did You Know…
A Group of Ladybugs is called a ‘Loveliness of Ladybugs’
Find out more interesting facts about Ladybugs

Conclusion

There are millions of types of beetles out there, so naturally, I’m not able to name all the green ones here. If you take nothing else away from this then let it be that there are NO actual green Ladybugs, but there are a variety of other green beetles that might be mistaken for one. I hope it’s helped.

Related Questions:

Are Green Ladybugs Poisonous? The Cucumber Beetle, which is commonly mistaken to be a Green Ladybug is not poisonous. However, they do carry and transmit a natural bacterial fungal disease called Erwinia tracheiphila or ‘Wilt Disease’ which can harm vegetable crops.

Green Ladybug – Easy Guide and Identifying Them (with Images) (2024)

FAQs

What bug looks like a ladybug but is green? ›

If you find little chartreuse-colored beetles that look like ladybugs scurrying around your vegetable garden or in among your roses, they're not your friends! Most likely they're western spotted cucumber beetles, Diabrotica undecimpunctata.

What does it mean when a ladybug is green? ›

Green Ladybug Meaning

The Green Ladybug doesn't exist, believed by the people. You must have spotted a beetle with green spots that signifies prosperity and abundance. The green dotted beetle indicates good health and well-being.

Is there a such thing as a green ladybug? ›

It may be a disappointing fact, but in the “ladybug family,” you cannot find any records about green ladybugs. If you find a cute green beetle in the garden, it is not a ladybug. In most cases, it is a member of the Chrysomelidae group, usually known as the Spotted Cucumber Beetle. But do not worry about it.

Is a green ladybug poisonous? ›

Ladybugs are small, plentiful, and insect-eating bugs that can invade your home by the jarful during warm months. Fortunately these often-colorful insects are not poisonous to humans and only harmful to pets if they eat the ladybugs.

What bug is mistaken for a ladybug? ›

Asian lady beetles, commonly mistaken for ladybugs, are pretty bugs that inspire the child in most of us. They are pretty to look at, they are fun to catch, and their beautiful bright bodies are a nice addition to your garden and outdoor space.

Are there any poisonous ladybugs? ›

All ladybugs are not poisonous or dangerous to humans. However, the orange ladybugs have the most toxins in their bodies, which can cause allergies in some people and be fatal to animals.

Are green ladybugs good for your garden? ›

Fresh Healthy Ladybugs

Ladybugs, or lady beetles (Hippodamia convergens) are the best-known garden predators available. Ladybugs will eat aphids, mites and other soft- bodied insects.

What does a green beetle mean spiritually? ›

The green beetle is a symbol of good luck and is often associated with growth, fertility, and abundance. Having one land on you is generally interpreted as a good sign. Green beetles are also seen as a sign of new beginnings. This makes sense, as beetles often emerge from cocoons after undergoing a transformation.

How many colors do ladybugs come in? ›

There are over 5,000 different species of ladybugs and each comes with its own unique physical characteristics. The variability of ladybugs is seen in the diversity of colors they represent; Black, Brown, Steelblue, Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, and White/Grey.

Are ladybugs friendly? ›

Ladybugs are considered highly beneficial, harmless insects. They don't bite, they consume several harmful garden pests such as aphids, and they never congregate in large numbers. Most importantly, when it gets cold they seek shelter outdoors.

Why did a ladybug bite me? ›

The truth is, ladybugs are pretty harmless—they can just become a pest out of nuisance when fall and winter hit by congregating in every vacant space in your home. Again, the only time ladybugs bite is if they are provoked and agitated.

What Colour are poisonous ladybugs? ›

Orange-tinted ladybugs – also known as Asian lady beetles – tend to have the most toxins in their bodies, meaning that they may be the most allergenic to humans.

What does it mean when a ladybug visits you? ›

Seeing a ladybug may be a sign of good luck and genuine love, as well as a harbinger of transformation. This mystical creature is a messenger as well as carrier of the best news, and it bestows blessings upon people who come into contact with its presence.

What happens if a ladybug lands on you? ›

Historically and cross-culturally, ladybugs are believed to be talismans of luck. Some believe that, if a ladybug lands on you, you should count the number of spots to predict how many years of good luck you'll have. Many think the spots indicate the number of months until your greatest wish comes true.

What does it mean if a ladybird lands on you? ›

If a ladybug lands on you then that's very lucky. In some cultures it is believed that whatever the ladybug touches will be improved. If you see a ladybug that means good weather is near or that a person will soon have luck with love or money. If you kill a ladybug you will have bad luck.

What are the bugs in my house that look like ladybugs? ›

Answer: What you have is probably the Asian lady beetle or Japanese lady bug (Harmonia axyridis). These insects can be a nuisance in almost all parts of the country. They usually make their presence known in the fall and winter when they collect in large numbers around the perimeter of houses and buildings.

Can ladybugs bite? ›

Can Ladybugs Bite You? While ladybugs are beneficial to species control outdoors, they can be a nuisance indoors. They can also bite you. While their bites aren't known to be lethal or overly harmful, some people can experience allergic reactions to their mere presence.

Do ladybugs have teeth? ›

BUT DO THEY BITE? The better question here is, "Can they bite?" not just "Do they bite?" Ladybugs feed on soft bodied insects because they don't have teeth (which would make them very frightening). However, like other beetles they do have mandibles or chewing mouth parts.

Can ladybugs make you sick? ›

Yes, ladybugs can bite if provoked, though they rarely have the force to break the skin. While their bites are not overly harmful and can not transmit any diseases or parasites, some people experience minor allergic reactions to ladybug bites in the form of a raised red bump.

Do ladybugs bite dogs? ›

Are Ladybugs Poisonous to Dogs? While it is rare that ladybugs themselves would poison a dog, it is still possible that they can have a negative impact on your dog's gastrointestinal tract.

Do ladybugs drink water? ›

Ladybugs do drink water as part of their diet. They usually get the required amount from moisture available in the food they eat. So they don't always need to be near traditional sources of water for this purpose. But when food is scarce, or for additional hydration, they will drink water directly.

What do ladybugs eat and drink? ›

Ladybugs like to feast on teeny sap-sucking insects known as aphids. “Over its lifetime, a ladybug may consume as many as 5,000 aphids,” Troyano says. “As larvae, ladybugs eat pests by the hundreds. A hungry ladybug adult can devour 50 aphids per day.”

What do ladybugs eat in the house? ›

Aphids are the preferred diet for ladybugs and are sometimes commercially available. If you plan long-term indoor care of ladybugs, you will have to find a way to provide them with aphids to eat daily. Wipe wheast on sticks and place in ladybug enclosure.

Do green beetles bite? ›

Green Fig Beetles don't bite and are relatively unbothered by humans. This makes them an excellent species for close observation (they are great for teaching children about beetles). They are fairly easy to photograph; you can sometimes even get them to remain in your hand for a short while.

Why are beetles attracted to me? ›

Bugs have the same innate ability. Insects are magnetized to certain people. Bugs are attracted by the quality of energy people radiate. The pesky pests can detect the emotional state a person is sitting in.

Which ladybug is the rarest? ›

What is the rarest ladybug color? The 'headless' ladybug is the most unique ladybug ever discovered. The newly found insect tucks its head inside its throat, establishing itself as a new species as well as a new genus (a wider categorization of plants and animals).

Are Rainbow ladybugs real? ›

Although the classic standard ladybug – red with black spots – are the ones we know best, they come in a rainbow of colors.

Are there gold ladybugs? ›

The gold ladybug is actually the golden tortoise beetle that is native to the Americas. They are variable in color from reddish-brown with black spots through gold, and often metallic, earning it the nickname “goldbug”.

Are green shield bugs harmful? ›

Green shield bugs are absolutely harmless and pose no threats at all to humans. Some gardeners fear that shield bugs can bite humans but this is not true. However they can release a substance that smells similar to marzipan, when disturbed or threatened.

Are green aphids harmful to humans? ›

No, aphids are not harmful to humans. They are unlikely to cause any harm to you. Aphids can bite in some very rare cases, but this is rare as they don't have normal mouthpieces. Instead, aphids have needles that they use to suck nutrients from plants.

Are pale green assassin bugs harmful? ›

As beneficial as they are in the garden, assassin bugs will bite if handled or disturbed. Their bite is not considered threatening, but it can be painful. The bite remains painful and swells and itches for a period afterward, much like a bee sting or a mosquito. It injects a toxin that some people are allergic to.

Are green lacewings harmful? ›

Green Lacewings do not transmit disease or bite or sting, but their sudden appearance means that you might have an infestation of aphids or thrips, and these insects are vectors of many plant diseases.

What is a green bug called? ›

Katydid is a type of green hopping insect that looks like a shiny green leaf. Also called bush crickets, katydid species use their green colors and wing shapes as camouflage to blend in with leaves and plant foliage.

What are the tiny lime green bugs? ›

Greenbugs are small, lime-green or yellow aphids that concentrate in colonies on the undersides of leaves. They have a dark green line down the middle of the back and antennae that are as long or longer than their body. Their reproductive capacity is very high.

What is a green beetle called? ›

Fig beetles (Cotinis mutabilis), also known as figeater beetles or green fruit beetles, are a Southwestern species of beetle that careen through the air with the grace of a charging rhinoceros. They are loud, they are big (often around an inch long), and they are everywhere right now.

Do aphids live in hair? ›

Aphids feed on plant material and do not feed on humans or animals. Aphids do not live in human hair.

Do green aphids bite? ›

Aphids can't bite people, pets, or eat plants because they don't have a mouth or teeth. But aphids have sharp mouthparts that they use to pierce plants and suck out sap. If an aphid thinks you might be a plant or feels threatened, the aphid could pierce your skin with its needle-like mouthparts.

Do aphids live in human hair? ›

Aphids cannot live on human hair, only lice can live on human hair. As mentioned above, aphids feed on the sap of plants, so they cannot survive on the head of a human or the fur of an animal. An aphid may fall on your head when you are in the garden, but it will not survive because it will not have food.

What green bugs are poisonous? ›

Of all these little green bugs, it's the dogbane leaf beetle which is the most poisonous. They don't bite, they secrete toxins that are deadly. However, some tiny green bugs that people think are dangerous and they bite too. Fig beetles and June beetles are two of them.

What is a tiny green bug? ›

The little green bugs in your house are called Aphids, and they are part of the insect family Aphididae, which includes around 5,000 different species. Aphids are common on houseplants which they infest and feed on.

Is a kissing bug? ›

Kissing bugs are blood-feeding insects that live in the southern and western United States, Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. They don't kiss. But they might bite you, probably while you sleep. Most bites are harmless.

What is a small green bug with wings? ›

Adult green lacewings are small, soft-bodied insects that are light green in color. As an adult insect, this beneficial predator has antennae, big eyes, six legs and see-through wings. It resembles a dragonfly and is often mistaken for one. Green lacewing larvae are what farmers and gardeners really love.

Do adult lacewings bite humans? ›

Adult lacewings have mandibles that are in proportion to their bodies; adult lacewings also do not bite or sting humans. Lacewings are considered beneficial insects; they're often intentionally released into gardens that are infested with aphids or other pests.

What are the big green flying bugs? ›

Figeater beetle

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