Family: Coccinellidae
Subfamily: Epilachninae
Length: 6-8 mm
Epilachna varivestis is one of two species of Ladybird Beetles found in West Virginia that eschew the usual Ladybird diet of small insects, and instead consume plants. The other plant-eating ladybird found in West Virginia is Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata, and it has a very similar appearance. The quickest way to tell the difference between these two species is to measure. E. varivestis measures 6 to 8 mm, while S. vigintiquatuorpunctata measures 3.5 to 4.5 mm.
