Ladybugs are loved worldwide and can be found around the globe due to the 5,000 species roaming the planet! However, other species within the same family as ladybugs are attempting to mimic the appearance of the nationally treasured ladybug. The Asian ladybeetle was introduced alongside the ladybug in 1916 to control pests but due to an extreme influx of these fellows, they are now considered an invasive species. It is most likely that Asian ladybeetles you are seeing land on you, rather than Ladybugs due to how common they are! Ladybugs and Asian ladybeetles have a few similarities. For example, their diets are the same, so they are good for pest control regarding smaller insects such as aphids because they can break their smaller aphids' exoskeletons with their mandibles. Both classes have similar anatomy regarding their wings, legs, pronotum, and body. Despite these similarities, it is important to recognize a ladybug from an Asian ladybeetle due to the pest a ladybeetle can become. 

The most common way to differentiate between these two species is to look at the markings. Ladybugs often have small white circular markings on the tip of their pronotum which can vary from species to species. Asian ladybeetles, on the other hand, do have white markings similar to ladybugs, but they are larger and they have additional white markings near the top of their pronotum which make it appear as if they have a black “W” or “M” shape. Be sure to look at shape as Asian ladybeetles are also a bit larger than an average ladybug though, this difference can only really be seen when both are next to each other. Also, be sure to look at the head shape.