I didn't realize what this was until I zoomed in on my photo and saw the white facial markings. I've never seen a melanistic seven spotted lady beetle before. Although it looked black from a distance, you can see traces of spots on the elytra and a bit of red colour showing through. According to bumblebee.org, "this type of dark colouration is not so unusual, and is linked to the genes of the beetle. It is believed that in colder areas the dark colouration may be an advantage because it will enable the beetle to warm up more quickly". This individual was found inside our building in October and was still alive and active.