A fascinating and very colourful beetle...I am hoping to find my own specimens of this species this spring! I looked in some sedge meadows in our neck of the woods last year, but to no avail. In Alberta, John Acorn (cf Ladybugs of Alberta) has found this species relatively frequently in marshes and wet areas, particularly in sedge meadows. He calls it the "Snow Ladybug" in his book, as he sees it often in the spring crawling atop the melting snow. In Russia where a close relative (Coccidula rufa) of this species also exists, it is also founds in "meadows and mire". He mentions they may feed on scale insects, but he also found a good number in sedge meadows along Lessard Lake, AB, "probably feeding on leafhoppers".

Maybe first I should check to see if they are known from NH :-)

Downie and Arnett report it from NH, VT and ME, as well as MA, CT and NS (and several others), so you are surrounded!

Should I pass this on to a forum for creation of a new page?

already done and moved! (moves from ID Request don't auto-generate a "Moved" comment)

I now know where to find some of these in nature, so hopefully will have some more "natural" shots to add in a few months...These specimens were picked up in early April under some leaf litter, so that is not too far away!