This lady beetle is bright orange with 20 (although some references say 23) black dots on its wing casings. It can easily be mistaken for a 26 or 28 spotted lady beetle, but when together there are obviously more spots on the pest species. This lady beetle has a distinct pattern on the area behind its head (the pronotum).
The larvae are completely black when they first hatch. After the 2nd instar they develop two yellow bands round their bodies.
Adult size: 6 - 8 mm