Ladybirds - resources and class activities

Ladybirds with their distinctive look and vibrant colours are great for introducing classification in the classroom. They’re also common in many habitats, so they work well for classes looking to apply their new skills outdoors. 

These activities cover grouping and classification across Key Stage 1 and 2. At Key Stage 3 and 4 students can explore the genetics behind some of the variation seen in ladybird colour patterns.

At Key Stage 2, some classes might benefit from reviewing parts of an insect before developing a ladybird classification key using the sorting cards. Students can put their new skills to use by conducting a ladybird survey, recording more detailed notes and contributing to UK ladybird monitoring. The case study can be used as an example of recording detailed survey notes and how these notes can lead to useful insights.

Many of the activities use the ladybird sorting cards available to download and print below. The cards show photos of specimens from the beetle collection held at the Natural History Museum. There are 150 specimens representing 10 species. This allows students to see some of the variation between individuals of a species. See Evolution across primary science for why this is important.

General ladybird resources

All about ladybirds

A PowerPoint presentation introducing ladybirds and looking at the survival adaptations of camouflage versus poison.

Download the ladybird presentation (PPT 6.6MB)

UK ladybirds chart

A chart showing 10 of the most common ladybirds in the UK.

Download the ladybird chart (PDF 1.3MB)

Ladybird sorting cards

These cards feature 150 ladybirds from 10 species - showing the variation within species.

Download cards without backs (PDF 2.9MB)

Download cards with patterned backs (PDF 8.0MB)

Ladybird activities

Objectives:

introduce or review the parts of an insect
compare and contrast different insects

Objectives:

compare and contrast different ladybirds by grouping them
construct and use a classification key
recognise that there’s variation within a species and look for key features that can help with classification

Objectives:

explore your local environment
practice using a classification key
set-up a simple practical enquiry
understand how recording detailed notes helps with comparative and fair tests

Objectives:

understand that genes and environmental conditions influence the development of the phenotype of an organism
understand that scientific theories generally explain patterns in data and can be used to make testable predictions