 Measuring long and wide, the transverse ladybird shows little variation across its wide range.It has a black head with predominantly bright red or orange elytra boldly marked with a black band down the midline and two lateral three-lobed markings.Like many species of ladybirds, the transverse ladybird plays an important role in agriculture as it preys on a wide array of plant-eating insects which damage crops, particularly early in the growing season.