Small to medium sized, round hemispherical beetles. Brightly coloured, spotted or striped in black, yellow, red or orange. The head is hidden below the pronotum. There are 8 subfamilies in southern Africa and all are carnivorous except Epilachninae. The predatory species are important for the control of crop pests and some of the Epilachninae species are crop pests.

When disturbed, the adults drop to the and discharge yellow blood from the leg joints. This a defense mechanism as the blood is toxic to vertebrates.

Eggs are laid singly or in pairs on the plant and larvae emerge and feed on other insects (aphids) on the plant.

Some subfamilies, genera and species