What do ladybirds eat?

[Paul mabbott]

Ask most people what do ladybirds eat? There's a general tendency to think that, "Ladybirds eat aphids".
Not always true, of course, because at least two British species are phytophagous vegetarians and at least another two eat mildew and other fungi.

However, even the aphidophagous species do eat other things - quite a lot of other things .... They will, of course, eat each other as well as other ladybirds and other insects but, especially late in the autumn or early in the spring, they will take plant food - ripe fruits, nectar or, as in this case, pollen:

This was taken by Les Wilson in March when there are not too many aphids around!

[Paul mabbott]

As well as animals (and pollen) ladybirds will eat fruit juices and, probably, mildew (looks and probably tastes much like pollen?). This picture (again by Les Wilson in Hackney Wick) shows one of many overwintering 7-spots feeding on over-ripe dogwood (Cornus sp) but is it eating the fruit juice or is it eating the mildew growing on the fruit? Or both?

[Dogghound]

Yes i have obseved this too, iv seen a 7 spot feeding on Bibio marci, which i must admit was abit of a shock. Also species such as the orange ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata feeding on mildews.