Coccinellidae

A family of beetles, commonly known as ladybirds.  The family consists of 6,000 described species worldwide that are generally small, usually 1–10 mm in length, and dome shaped with short legs and antennae. Brightly colored with spots, stripes, or solid hues—commonly red, orange, or yellow with black markings, though some are black, gray, or metallic. They are mostly predatory, feeding on soft-bodied pests such as aphids, scale insects, and mites—making them important biological control agents in agriculture. However, some species are herbivorous or feed on fungi, pollen, or mildew. When attacked they exude a yellowish fluid (reflex bleeding) from their leg joints containing alkaloids, which tastes unpleasant to predators. Their bright colors serve as aposematic signals warning predators of their chemical defenses