There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world. These much loved critters are also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the most familiar in North America is the seven-spotted ladybug, with its shiny, red-and-black body. In many cultures, ladybugs are considered good luck.
Most people like ladybugs because they are pretty, graceful, and harmless to humans. But farmers love them because they eat aphids and other plant-eating pests. One ladybug can eat up to 5,000 insects in its lifetime! Most ladybugs have oval, dome-shaped bodies with six short legs. Depending on the species, they can have spots, stripes, or no markings at all. Seven-spotted ladybugs are red or orange with three spots on each side and one in the middle. They have a black head with white patches on either side.
Ladybugs are colorful for a reason. Their markings tell predators: "Eat something else! I taste terrible." When threatened, the bugs will secrete an oily, foul-tasting fluid from joints in their legs. They may also play dead. Birds are ladybugs' main predators, but they also fall victim to frogs , wasps, spiders, and dragonflies. Ladybugs lay their eggs in clusters or rows on the underside of a leaf, usually where aphids have gathered. Larvae, which vary in shape and color based on species, emerge in a few days. Seven-spotted ladybug larvae are long, black, and spiky-looking with orange or yellow spots. Some say they look like tiny alligators. Larvae grow quickly and shed their skin several times. When they reach full size, they attach to a leaf by their tail, and a pupa is formed. Within a week or two, the pupa becomes an adult ladybug.
Ladybugs are happy in many different habitats, including grasslands , forests , cities, suburbs, and along rivers. Seven-spotted ladybugs are native to Europe but were brought to North America in the mid-1900s to control aphid populations. Ladybugs are most active from spring until fall . When the weather turns cold, they look for a warm, secluded place to hibernate, such as in rotting logs, under rocks, or even inside houses. These hibernating colonies can contain thousands of ladybugs.
The name "ladybug" was coined by European farmers who prayed to the Virgin Mary when pests began eating their crops. After ladybugs came and wiped out the invading insects, the farmers named them "beetle of Our Lady." This eventually was shortened to "lady beetle" and "ladybug." NASA even sent a few ladybugs into space with aphids to see how aphids would escape in zero gravity.
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Preschool Inspirations
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Ladybug Facts for Kids
August 7, 2014 by Katie T. Christiansen 3 Comments
Children are naturally drawn to insects, especially ladybugs. Here are 20 ladybug facts for kids to share while observing ladybugs, while talking about them, while reading about them, or even during circle time . Maybe you even have a ladybug preschool theme in your preschool curriculum !
If you need a great fact-based ladybug book, we love “Ladybugs” by Gail Gibbons or a fun read-aloud book is “The Grouchy Ladybug” by Eric Carle.
On the hunt for preschool ladybug activities? These ladybug lesson plans by our friends at Preschool Teacher 101 have so many great ideas and learning activities.
My preschoolers and I recently witnessed 1,500 ladybugs being released into our greenhouse, and it was incredible. We are talking constantly about ladybugs now, also known as ladybirds, and I thought I would share our findings with you. It is great to have fun ladybug facts for kids to talk about as you are observing them! As you’ll see from my pictures, our ladybugs had a feast in our greenhouse .
20 Ladybug Facts for Kids
1) Ladybugs are a type of beetle.
2) Some ladybugs have no spots and others have up to 20 spots.
3) To help defend themselves, ladybugs play dead. They also can release a yellow fluid that other bugs find stinky.
4) The color of the ladybug sends off the message to its predators that it may taste bad or be poisonous.
5) Ladybugs cluster together as a way to “deter predators by increasing the concentration of their smell and their warning coloration.” Thanks to Professor Rick Lee for this fact!
6) When the temperature is near 60 degrees Fahrenheit or around 16 degrees Celsius, the ladybugs become active.
7) Ladybugs are both male and female.
8) A ladybug can live up to a year long.
9) There are two sets of wings. The outer set is the hard shell for protection, and the inner set are what it uses to fly.
10) Ladybugs are very helpful to a garden as they eat aphids and mites, which are bugs that are harmful to plants.
11) An adult ladybug can eat up to 50 aphids in a day.
12) Ladybugs taste and smell with their antennae.
13) A ladybug lays its egg on a leaf. They are yellow eggs that turn white.
14) They come out the egg as larvae (Lar-VEE). If there is just one, it is a larva.
15) The larvae resemble tiny black alligators.
16) The larva sheds its outer skin, which is called molting. This happens after it has eaten too much that it’s skin becomes too tight.
17) After the larva is done molting, it becomes a pupa.
18) The pupa sticks itself to a safe place where it will not move. The pupa breaks open as the ladybug comes out.
19) The ladybug’s body goes from being soft with no spots to the hardened and spotted ladybugs we are familiar with.
20) The inner wings used for flying must dry before the ladybug can fly.
Many of these fun facts were discovered as we read one of our favorite books called Ladybugs by Gail Gibbons.
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February 20, 2019 at 9:00 am
I enjoyed your webpage but wish to point out one error. Ladybugs are cold-blooded and cannot generate heat like mammals. Therefore, they do not aggregate in winter to stay warm. However, aggregation may deter predators by increasing the concentration of their smell and their warning coloration. Hope this helps. 🙂
Cheers, Rick Lee University Distinguished Professor
March 6, 2019 at 6:37 pm
Thank you for pointing that out! I can’t remember which book we found that in, but I will be sure the post is corrected :). I appreciate you sharing your expertise.
January 27, 2021 at 3:57 pm
thank you for telling us about them!
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There are several thousand different kinds of ladybug. Most are round or oval in shape and usually 0.3 to 0.4 inch (8 to 10 millimeters) long. They have short legs and can be yellow, red, or orange in color. They often have dark spots, though some have stripes, and others have no markings. The color of the wing covers and number of spots vary among species.
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Description of the Ladybug
Interesting facts about the ladybug, habitat of the ladybug, distribution of the ladybug.
With so many different species, it is no wonder that these insects can be found nearly worldwide. Unlike other cosmopolitan (widespread) creatures, ladybugs are found more frequently in warmer climates. There are over 400 different species in North America, and 175 species found in California alone.
Diet of the Ladybug
Ladybug and human interaction, domestication, does the ladybug make a good pet, ladybug care, behavior of the ladybug, reproduction of the ladybug, related articles more from author.
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- University of Minnesota Extension - Lady beetles
- Academia - Faunistic Study of Ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the Banat Region, Romania
- Animal Corner - Ladybird / Ladybug
- Colorado State University Extension - Lady Beetles
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service - Extension Entomology - Lady beetles
- Cornell University - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Biological Control - Lady Beetles
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance - Animals & Plants - Ladybug
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- ladybug - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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- Table Of Contents
ladybug , (family Coccinellidae), family of approximately 5,000 widely distributed species of beetles. The name originated in the Middle Ages , when the beetle was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and called “beetle of Our Lady.”
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Family: Coccinellidae
See also list of insects .
Ladybugs are hemispheric in shape and usually 8 to 10 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inch) long. They have short legs and are usually brightly colored with black, yellow, or reddish markings. The color of the wing covers and number of spots vary among species. The pattern of the nine-spotted ladybird beetle ( Coccinella novemnotata ), which has four black spots on each reddish orange wing cover (elytron) and one shared spot, is an example of the typical color pattern of ladybird beetles.
The familiar children’s rhyme “Ladybug ladybug, fly away home / Your house is on fire, your children do roam” was a reference to the burning of the hop vines in England that took place following the harvest to clear the fields.
The typical life cycle requires about four weeks, so that several generations are produced each summer. Female ladybugs lay their eggs on leaves or twigs where aphids or other prey are feeding. When the eggs hatch , the larvae feed upon aphids, scale , or insect eggs using chewing mandibles. The long, slender, soft-bodied larvae are usually gray with blue, green, red, or black spots, and feed voraciously. A single larva of the convergent ladybug ( Hippodamia convergens ), for example, can consume 300 aphids in a two week developmental period (the adult female devours several thousand aphids in her three month life). The larvae pass through four growth stages and then attach to some object and pupate in their last larval skin. Large groups of adult ladybugs usually hibernate together each winter at the same location.
Some ladybug species are known for their migration patterns. The convergent ladybug, for example, lives in valley regions of California, where the eggs hatch in March or April and develop into adults one month later. In early summer they migrate to the mountains, particularly to the Sierra Nevada , where they may lay eggs if food is abundant and the weather warm. Generally, however, the adults gather in clusters and remain inactive until October, when rains initiate a period of activity, after which they travel to lower altitudes and hide in forest litter, passing the winter in a state of dormancy. As many as 30,000,000 ladybugs may congregate on a quarter acre. In spring they mate, fly back to the valleys, lay their eggs, and die.
Clusters of ladybugs are often gathered and sold to farmers and gardeners to control such insect pests as aphids , scale , and mites . The Australian ladybird beetle, or vedalia beetle ( Rodolia cardinalis ), was brought to western North America to help combat an outbreak of cottony-cushion scale ( Icerya purchasi ), which threatened to ruin citrus orchards. Both the larvae and adults of the convergent ladybug are also important aphid predators.
Although most ladybugs and their larvae are carnivorous, several feed on plants and are quite destructive. Two of these are the squash beetle ( Epilachna borealis ) and the Mexican bean beetle ( E. varivestis ).
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Science Projects > Life Science Projects > Learn About Ladybugs
Learn About Ladybugs
Simple ladybug science means that you must spend time observing the bugs.
Ladybug Science Lesson
What is a ladybug.
Ladybugs are insects, part of a group called beetles. Even though they are called ladybugs, not all of them are females!
All insects, including ladybugs, have three main body parts: a head, thorax, and abdomen. They have six legs, two antennae, and special compound eyes so they can see in many directions at once. Many insects have wings. For more details about insect anatomy, classification, and habitats, visit our Insect Investigations page.
Learn about the parts of a lady bug after catching ladybugs in the ‘Ladybug Investigation’ project featured below.
Ladybug Life Cycle
Just like all beetles, ladybugs go through different stages of life. Young ladybugs actually don’t look anything like the pretty red and black adult ladybugs we are all used to seeing. If you saw one that wasn’t an adult yet, you might not even recognize it. The stages that ladybugs go through are all steps in a very complex process called metamorphosis. (Other beetles, butterflies, and amphibians like frogs go through metamorphosis too!)
Stage 1: Egg
A female ladybug lays a cluster of tiny yellow eggs. Ladybugs usually lay eggs on leaves where there will be plenty of food for the babies when they hatch. After about one week, the eggs will hatch and small odd-looking creatures appear!
Stage 2: Larva
The odd-looking creatures that hatch out of the eggs are called larva (larvae if there are more than one).
They have long bodies with six legs. They are mostly black with colored spots and they look sort of like little alligators. The ladybug will live as a larva for about two to four weeks of its life. During that time, the larva will shed its skin several times.
Each time, the skin underneath allows it to grow a little bit bigger. While it is a larva, the ladybug will eat a lot; it can eat as many as 400 aphids! When the larva has grown as much as it needs to, it attaches itself to a leaf to get ready for its next stage of life.
Stage 3: Pupa
The larva attached to the leaf is now a pupa. It will stay attached to that leaf while it changes into an adult. The pupa does not eat or move because it stored up plenty of food in its body while it was a larva. After about five days, the pupa has changed in incredible ways and is ready to ‘hatch’ again as an adult ladybug!
Stage 4: Adult
Now the ladybug emerges from its pupa as a pretty adult ladybug! These are the kind of ladybugs we are used to seeing.
It now has two sets of wings. One set of wings is the hard brightly-colored part that helps us recognize ladybugs. This hard set of wings is called the elytra (say: EL-LIE-TRA) and it protects the fragile flying wings underneath.
The ladybug has an oval-shaped body, six legs, two antennae, a head with two eyes, a thorax that is called a pronotum , and an abdomen (the part of the body that is covered by the elytra).
When the pupa hatches as a new adult ladybug, it doesn’t have any spots yet and its elytra are wet, soft, and pale colored. They will dry out during the ladybug’s first day as an adult and it will soon be a pretty bright color with black spots!
Ladybugs can actually be red, orange, or yellow! Some kinds can even be gray, brown, or all black, but they are less common, and it’s hard to tell they are really ladybugs since their spots are harder to see.
Scientists have counted over 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs in the world! Each of these different kinds has special characteristics, such as color, number of spots, and the shape and size of it’s body.
As an adult, the new ladybugs can eat up to 75 aphids a day. Towards the end of the summer, ladybugs like to eat pollen and some types of plants so that they can store up fat for the winter.
During the winter, ladybugs hibernate. To stay warm, they usually huddle together in groups and bury themselves under piles of leaves, grasses, or rocks for protection from winter weather. When spring arrives, the ladybugs will begin to wake up and come out looking for a tasty meal of aphids! They will begin to lay eggs that will grow into more ladybugs.
To allow kids to see ladybugs change from larva to pupa to adult, we highly recommend the Ladybug Land kit !
Also see Activity 1 in ‘Ladybug Fun’ for tips on finding and raising your own larvae.
Printable Worksheet
Use this Ladybug Life Cycle chart worksheet to review the stages of a ladybug’s life cycle.
Print out both pages and let kids color the pictures, then cut and paste them into the correct spots and label each stage.
Ways Ladybugs Protect Themselves
- Their bright colors warn birds that they are not good to eat. Most birds know that red or orange colored things usually taste bad and might even be poisonous. Ladybugs aren’t poisonous, but birds don’t know that!
- They can leave a trail of fluid that comes out of joints in their legs. The fluid is usually yellow-colored and it smells very bad! Most animals don’t want to eat something that smells rotten, so this is a good way for ladybugs to protect themselves.
- Ladybugs sometimes ‘play dead’ by sitting very still when they think they are in danger. Ladybugs can tuck their head under their thorax and they can tuck their legs under their bodies, which also helps them look dead. A lot of predators will not try to eat something that doesn’t move, so this can be a good defense, but sometimes the predator won’t care if the ladybug is moving or not and might try to eat it anyway!
- When ladybugs are in the larva stage, they look fierce and mean; nothing like the cute little adult ladybugs we are used to! This helps them protect themselves. Larvae also have very strong jaws and can bite other insects.
Ladybug Science Projects
A ladybug investigation.
The best way to learn about something is to watch it. Scientists do a lot of watching, or observing , to learn about things, especially insects like ladybugs.
In this project, you will get to look for ladybugs and then watch them to learn about them, just like a real scientist! Make sure you get permission from an adult before you start this project.
What You Need:
- a clean jar or clear container with a lid
- a small nail
- a wet cotton ball
- a paper cup
- a magnifying glass
What You Do:
- Get your jar ready to hold ladybugs: ask an adult to help you use the hammer and nail to make small air holes in the lid. Put a wet cotton ball in the bottom of the jar so the ladybugs will have water to drink. Now you’re ready to start your ladybug search.
- Go outside in your backyard or to a park that has a lot of trees and plants.
- Start walking slowly and looking very carefully around trees, bushes, flowers, and in the grass for ladybugs. If you spot one, write down where you found it (examples: on a flower stem or in the grass), what color it is (bright red? orange? dark red?), and how many spots it has.
- If you want to, catch the ladybug in your jar. See if you can get the ladybug to crawl onto your hand and then into the jar. Put a few leaves or parts of the plants the ladybug was on into the jar with it.
- Look very closely at the plants the ladybug was near. Do you see any smaller bugs that the ladybug might have been eating? They will probably blend in with the leaves very well, so look closely!
- Keep searching for more ladybugs by looking under leaves, rocks, in tall grass, and on the bark of trees.
- When you find one, watch it for as long as you can. Stay a few feet away so you won’t scare it. When you’re done watching it, use your paper cup to scoop the ladybug up and put it in your jar.
- Write notes or draw pictures for each ladybug that you find. This is called gathering data. This is like collecting clues to learn more about ladybugs and will help you answer the questions at the end.
- When you have a couple ladybugs in your jar, take a closer look at them with your magnifying glass. Draw pictures of what they look like from different angles (underneath, from above, or from the side) and write down things that you think might be helpful “clues” for learning more about the life of a ladybug.
- If you don’t find any ladybugs, pick a different area to explore (try to find a rosebush or a field with lots of tall grasses). You can also observe other bugs you find. Once you’re finished observing, answer the questions below to see what you have learned!
- Where did you find the most ladybugs? Were they on leaves, on tree bark, in the grass, on flowers, or somewhere else?
- Were they in groups or by themselves?
- Based on where you found your ladybugs, what kind of home do you think a ladybug would like? Describe it or draw a picture of it.
- Did you see any ladybugs eating? What were they eating?
- What can ladybugs do to protect themselves? Do they have places to hide?
- Do ladybugs have wings? Can they fly? How far do you think they can fly?
- Do all of your ladybugs have the same number of spots? What do you think their spots are for?
- What color are your ladybugs? Why is that a good color for them?
- How many legs do they have? Do you notice anything special about their legs?
- What do their heads look like? Do they have eyes? Do they have antennae?
Ladybug Fun
Here are several fun ladybug activities you can do this summer!
Activity 1: Find Ladybug Larvae
A ladybug larva is a baby ladybug.
Ladybugs go through different stages, and for most of their lives they don’t even look like the pretty red and black ones we are used to seeing!
Your parent or teacher can tell you more about the different stages of a ladybug’s life cycle . Try to find ladybug larvae (that means more than one, larva means one) by looking in the same types of places as you did in the Ladybug Investigation project.
A great place to find ladybug larvae is on a rose bush. Aphids love to eat rose plants and since ladybugs love to eat aphids, many ladybugs will lay their eggs on the leaves of rose bushes so that when the larvae hatch out of the eggs, they will have plenty of food waiting for them!
If you can find some larvae and some aphids, you can collect them in a container and watch the ladybug larvae change into adult ladybugs!
Just be sure to provide them with plenty of aphids and other small insects to eat. They will also need air holes and water. Put a wet cotton ball or paper towel in the bottom of the container to give them water.
Note : Instead of using a jar, a Pop-Up Insect Habitat also makes a great home for your insects!
Activity 2: Make Ladybug Prints
You’ll need a potato (cut in half), paint in ladybug colors (red, orange, or yellow), a paper plate, art paper, a black marker, and a black ink pad.
Put some of the paint on the paper plate and dip the round, cut end of one half of the potato into the paint, then press it firmly onto your paper like a stamp to make a ladybug’s body.
Stamp as many ladybugs onto your paper as you want. Once the paint dries, you can finish your picture by using your thumbprint in the black ink to make a head and your pinky finger to make spots.
Use the marker to give your ladybugs wings, legs, and antennae. You might want to use other paints or markers to draw leaves, aphids, and larvae on your picture also.
Activity 3: Act Like A Ladybug
Make antennae like a ladybug’s by attaching two black pipe-cleaners to a headband (or you can make a headband by attaching pieces of string to a strip of cardboard and tying the string behind your head).
Stick a small Styrofoam ball onto the end of each pipe-cleaner. Paint the balls and the headband black.
Once it is dry, put the antennae on and imagine what it would be like to only be able to feel and smell through your feet and those antennae, the way a ladybug does!
Can you think of anything else you could do like a ladybug?
Activity 4: How Much Do You Know?
Write your own science book about ladybugs!
Include everything you know about them. One way to do it is to make one page for each thing you know about ladybugs, and then either draw pictures for each page, or find pictures that you can cut out of magazines or print from the internet.
Make sure you get permission before cutting anything up or searching on the internet!
Another idea is to ask an adult to help you take pictures of real ladybugs that you find. When you have all the pages ready, make a nice cover for your book, and punch holes in the same places in all of the pages, then use string to tie them together, or put them in a three-ring binder.
You can use this book to share what you have learned about ladybugs with your siblings and friends.
More Life Science Projects:
- Observing an Ant
- Make a Beetle
- Make a Bug Zoo
- Butterfly Feeder
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Thursday, March 14, 2013
Ladybugs in the classroom.
| Student ladybug glyph |
| Teacher ladybug glyph example Then we used some web resources to learn even more. I liked seeing how the humane society used ladybugs for a good purpose. Here are the online ladybug resources we used. Then we integrated some writing. I chose to use a draw and write writing prompt where the kiddos draw about what they've read and then they write about it. |
| Ladybug writing prompt |
| Life cycle of a ladybug plate craft |
| Ladybug fun |
| Ladybug headband craft |
| Student picture of a ladybug larva |
| Ladybug larva |
| Free Printable Ladybug Activity |
8 comments:
What a great activity and who doesn't love ladybugs? Shawna The Picture Book Teacher's Edition
So cute! I love me idea about the ladybug life cycle headband, and the parts of a ladybug freebie is great! Thanks for sharing! I'm now your newest follower! Come check out my blog when you have a chance! -Jessica A Turn to Learn
Love your cute ideas and all the great pictures. I found you through the linky! I'm also your newest follower. I look forward to coming back and keeping up with what's going on! Cynthia 2nd Grade Pad
Thank you so much for the ladybug diagram. We do a unit on ladybugs very similar to yours, except we actually labeled the construction ladybug. The only problem is that the label like to fall off, so I think this diagram will work better! I am your newest follower and would love for you to visit my blog! Patti:) A Series of 3rd Grade Events
Stopping by from Triple T Mum. Wow, I have never seen ladybird larva before! This post is awesome. I am pinning to a couple of my boards, including Kids Co-op. Thanks for linking this!
Omg, those ladybugs are sooo cute!!!
These are adorable!! Miss J ❤ Smiles, Crayons, and Endless Stories http://smilescrayonsandendlessstories.blogspot.com/
I love your ladybug activities!! I've raised them from eggs in my classroom & I agree - the larva are so strange looking!! Just found your blog & I'm your newest follower :) ✿Sue✿ ✿ Science for Kids Blog ✿
The 4 Stages of the Ladybug Life Cycle
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Ladybugs are known by several other names: lady beetles, ladybug beetles, and ladybird beetles. Regardless of what you call them, these beetles belong to the family Coccinellidae . All ladybugs progress through a four-stage life cycle known as complete metamorphosis.
These four stages of the ladybug life cycle are embryonic (eggs), larval (larvae), pupal (pupae), and imaginal (adult beetles). Ladybugs begin their life cycle as eggs laid by the female on plants, typically near a food source like aphids. After hatching, the larvae feed on soft-bodied insects, molting several times before entering the pupal stage. During pupation, the larva undergoes a remarkable transformation before emerging as an adult ladybug with its characteristic bright colors.
1. Embryonic Stage (Eggs)
The ladybug life cycle begins with an egg. Once she has mated, the female ladybug lays a cluster of five to 30 eggs. She usually deposits her eggs on a plant with suitable prey for her offspring to eat when they hatch; aphids are a favorite food. In a three-month period that commences in spring or early summer, a single female ladybug can produce more than 1,000 eggs.
Scientists believe ladybugs lay both fertile and infertile eggs in the cluster. When aphids are in limited supply, the newly hatched larvae will feed on the infertile eggs.
2. Larval Stage (Larvae)
In two to ten days, ladybug larvae emerge from their eggs. Species and environmental variables such as temperature can shorten or lengthen this timeframe. Ladybug larvae look somewhat like tiny alligators, with elongated bodies and bumpy exoskeletons. In many species, the ladybug larvae are black with brightly colored spots or bands.
In the larval stage, ladybugs feed voraciously. In the two weeks it takes to become fully grown, a single larva can consume 350 to 400 aphids . Larvae feed on other soft-bodied plant pests as well, including scale insects, adelgids, mites, and insect eggs. Ladybug larvae don't discriminate when feeding and will sometimes eat ladybug eggs, too.
The newly hatched larva is in its first instar, a developmental stage that occurs between molts. It feeds until it grows too big for its cuticle, or soft shell, and then it molts. After molting, the larva is in the second instar. Ladybug larvae usually molt through four instars, or larval stages, before preparing to pupate. The larva attaches itself to a leaf or other surface when it is ready to pupate, or metamorphose , into its adult form.
3. Pupal Stage (Pupae)
In its pupal stage, the ladybug is usually yellow or orange with black markings. The pupa remains still, attached to a leaf, throughout this stage. The ladybug's body undergoes a remarkable transformation, directed by special cells called histoblasts. They control a biochemical process through which the larval body is broken down and reformed into the adult ladybug.
The pupal stage lasts between seven and 15 days.
4. Imaginal Stage (Adult Beetles)
Newly emerged adults, or imagos, have soft exoskeletons, making them vulnerable to predators until their cuticles harden. They appear pale and yellow when they emerge but soon develop the deep, bright colors for which ladybugs are known.
Adult ladybugs feed on soft-bodied insects, just as their larvae do. Adults overwinter, usually hibernating in aggregations. They mate soon after becoming active again in the spring.
Finding Ladybug Eggs and Larvae
A garden plant prone to aphid infestations is a prime ladybug habitat. To familiarize yourself with the ladybug life cycle, visit this plant daily. Take your time examining the leaves, lifting them to observe the undersides, and you'll likely find a cluster of bright yellow eggs.
Within a few days, tiny ladybug larvae will hatch, and you'll find the odd-looking immature ladybugs on the prowl for aphids. Later, you'll see dome-shaped pupae, shiny and orange. If aphids are abundant, adult ladybugs will hang around, too.
Key Takeaways
- Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles, undergo a four-stage life cycle called complete metamorphosis, which begins with a female ladybug laying eggs.
- Ladybug larvae feed voraciously on aphids and other soft-bodied insects as they grow, with some consuming up to 400 aphids before becoming fully grown.
- When adult ladybugs first emerge at the end of the cycle, they have soft outer shells, which make them susceptible to predators until their shells harden.
Raupp, Mike, et al. “ Predators -Ladybird Beetles (Ladybugs) .” University of Maryland Extension , University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“ Lady Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) .” Biological Control , Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Ramsey, Michelle. “ Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home .” The Real Dirt Blog , University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 13 Feb. 2015.
“ Ladybug .” San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants .
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Ladybug Planet
66 fast facts about ladybugs – these will amaze you.
When I first started liking Ladybugs – all those many years ago I quickly found out that there’s far more to Ladybugs than you might think.
Now next time a Ladybird lands on you, you can proceed to amaze your friends and family with your extended knowledge. Some of these you may well know already, but I really hope you pick up one or two facts about Ladybugs here that you can use in the future.
Here We Go – 66 Ladybugs Facts – Plus Some Bonus Facts
2. In Victorian times, it was fairly common for doctors to mash up ladybugs for dental care! They would smear the resulting mixture in a patient’s mouth as a cure for toothache. There are no details as to whether this worked … quite frankly I doubt it!
Ever had a dream about Ladybugs? Want to know what it means?
9. Officially speaking, Ladybugs are actually Lady Beetles, not actually bugs at all. The definition differences are that bugs have needle-like mouth parts, whereas, all species of beetles are classed as having chewing mouth parts as bugs mostly have a liquid diet. In addition, where beetles have hard wings, they are harder wings than bugs.
13. Their spots fade in once they are a few hours to a day old. As they age, their spots fade out. Take a look next time you see one.
17. The Elytra, which is the outer shell with spots on it, is made of a material called Chitin, The same material that fingernails are made of.
20. As cold-blooded species, ladybugs mainly are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. This enables them to gain as much available sunlight for mating and feeding.
24. Once hatched, Ladybug larvae (singular; Larva) eat about 350 to 400 aphids in the space of around 2 weeks. One was recorded as eating as many as 475.
29. You can purchase Ladybugs online for your garden to help combat garden pests.
34. Not all Ladybugs are carnivores, some ladybug species are known to eat plants instead of pests. Most Ladybugs also eat pollen, nectar, and honeydew.
38. Ladybugs do not breathe through their mouths, but through parts of their abdomen and thorax through openings called Spiracles.
43. Ladybugs were believed to be around on Earth before many other living things appeared. In fact, they were here before many types of bacteria, before snakes, and before dinosaurs. As well as before coral reefs existed.
47. The more aggressive Asian Lady Beetle , also known as the Harlequin Ladybug is an invasive species released by the US government in the mid-1900s to help reduce the agricultural pest population. It has since led to the depletion of native species.
52. A ladybug’s entire development life cycle only takes three to seven weeks before culminating in a fully grown ladybird adult
56. Ladybugs do bite humans. Usually, as a defense mechanism when feeling threatened, or if they mistake the human skin for potential food.
61. The best ladybugs you can get for your garden or farm are called hippodamia convergens . Recognizable by the two white lines in front of the outer shell. They are voracious eaters and eat LOTS of aphids really quickly. They also stick around to continue to protect your garden
66. The reason some Ladybugs have evolved with black shells is that many birds have evolved to avoid prey with red or black coloring.
Also, if you have any friends or family that like Ladybugs as much as I do, then head over to my resource page to find some engaging Ladybug activities. As well as the best and most stylish selection of Ladybug gifts, lucky charms, and other items I’ve found over the years.
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Miraculous Ladybug Wiki
Season 5 has finished airing globally, however, the wiki still does not allow sharing or discussing any leaked materials due to legal reasons.
Homework Essay/Transcript
| This page is a transcript for . Feel free to edit or add to this page as long as the information comes directly from the episode. |
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Marinette : Write a short essay about someone who inspires you. Tikki : Do you already know who you're gonna write about, Marinette? Marinette: I’m not sure, Tikki. A lot of people inspire me every day. Like you, for instance. Tikki: (points to herself) Meee? Marinette: (laughs) Of course! You’re very wise, you give the best advice, and you’re never judgmental. Tikki: (giggles) Aww, thanks, Marinette. That’s so sweet of you to say. Marinette: It’s true! And you’re also super fun and positive! You always find the silver lining even in the most desperate situations! I couldn’t have asked for the better and more inspiring kwami! Tikki: And I couldn’t have asked for a better Marinette! (Tikki hugs Marinette causing her to blush) Marinette: Too bad kwamis must remain a secret; I would have finished this essay in no time. Tikki: (giggles) I know someone else you can write about. Marinette: Really? Who? Tikki: Someone who inspires you a lot! Marinette: (blinks) Come on Tikki! Who are you talking about? Tikki: Adrien! Marinette: (giggles as she blushes hard) Oh Tikki, you know I can’t write about Adrien. (begins doodling hearts on her paper) Although, I would have a lot to say about how smart, kind, gifted, and handsome he is. Tikki: (chuckles) I’m not sure Miss Bustier would find Adrien’s handsomeness, relevant. Marinette: (smiles) I know, I know. I still have to find someone though... Sabine : (voice comes from outside the room) Marinette? Marinette: (gasps) Hide, Tikki! Come in, Mom. (Sabine enters through the trapdoor) Sabine: Your father and I just finished baking three wedding cakes. So, we’re celebrating by going to the movies later tonight. Will you come with us? Marinette: Of course, I’d love to! Sabine: Great! Marinette: (grins but then turns back) Wait a minute, did you say three wedding cakes? In one day? How did you guys do it? Tom : (pops into the room) Ah ha! Thanks to love, sweetie! When you love what you do, and you love who you’re doing it with everything becomes a piece of cake. (kisses Sabine on the cheek) Marinette: (giggles) Sabine: We’ll come and get you later. Good luck on your essay, honey! Marinette: Thanks, Mom! (turns back to her kwami) Well, I think I’ve found my inspiration, Tikki. (starts writing her essay)
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Ladybug Story - Her Future Husband and Her Bad fate. Charming Little Ladybug. There lived a charming yet sad ladybug. The lady bird was sad because she was all alone. She could not find her husband as that was not the age of Facebook. Our ladybug could not afford to be in social life. One fine day, while sweeping her kitchen, she found five ...
There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world. These much loved critters are also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the most familiar in North America is the seven-spotted ladybug, with its shiny, red-and-black body. In many cultures, ladybugs are considered good luck. Most people like them because they are pretty ...
20 Ladybug Facts for Kids. 1) Ladybugs are a type of beetle. 2) Some ladybugs have no spots and others have up to 20 spots. 3) To help defend themselves, ladybugs play dead. They also can release a yellow fluid that other bugs find stinky. 4) The color of the ladybug sends off the message to its predators that it may taste bad or be poisonous.
Most are round or oval in shape and usually 0.3 to 0.4 inch (8 to 10 millimeters) long. They have short legs and can be yellow, red, or orange in color. They often have dark spots, though some have stripes, and others have no markings. The color of the wing covers and number of spots vary among species. Ladybugs lay eggs in batches on leaves.
Ladybugs are a large group of insects in the Coccinellidae taxonomic family. They are small beetles, and depending on the region the ladybug is also referred to as "ladybirds," "lady beetles," or "ladybird beetles.". There are a huge variety of species in the Coccinellidae family, possibly 5,000 or more! The vast majority of species ...
10. Ladybugs Practice Cannibalism. Of all of the 10 facts about ladybugs on this list, this one is the most chilling: If food is scarce, ladybugs will do what they must to survive, even if it means eating each other. A hungry ladybug will make a meal of any soft-bodied sibling it encounters.
Cheilomenes lunataA ladybug (Cheilomenes lunata) laying eggs on a leaf in South Africa. Ladybugs are hemispheric in shape and usually 8 to 10 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inch) long. They have short legs and are usually brightly colored with black, yellow, or reddish markings. The color of the wing covers and number of spots vary among species.
Also see Activity 1 in 'Ladybug Fun' for tips on finding and raising your own larvae. Printable Worksheet. Use this Ladybug Life Cycle chart worksheet to review the stages of a ladybug's life cycle. Print out both pages and let kids color the pictures, then cut and paste them into the correct spots and label each stage.
The Ladybug. The ladybug is an insect. Like all insects, it has six legs. The ladybug has two sets of wings. The outer set is the hard shell for protection. The inner set is what the ladybug uses to fly. Many ladybugs are red and black, but they can also be yellow and black or orange and black.
Read Ladybug Poem for kids, popular poems for children & introduce them to a fun way of learning English. These poems are apt to boost your kid's vocabulary! ... Class 1 essay. Class 2 essay. Class 3 essay. LKG worksheet. UKG worksheet. Class 1 Worksheet. Class 2 Worksheet. Class 3 worksheet. Overview. Nursery rhymes with insects as ...
Satisfactory Essays. 149 Words. 1 Page. Open Document. In conclusion, extremely prominent procedure of ladybug lifecycle is egg step, hatchlings step and pupa with adult step. We explain the first step of ladybug life cycle. Ladybug ovulate more than ten eggs and put them on one place. She put them on the right place.
10 Lines on Ladybug 🐞in English Short Essay on Ladybug Ashwin's WorldLadybug factsLadybug Information
Ladybugs in the classroom are a great way to integrate fun and lots of other subjects too. First, we labeled the parts of a ladybug. Then we worked on a ladybug glyph. A glyph is a great learning tool that lets students learn ways to visually represent data. This is a shapes ladybug glyph, so each question on the glyph asked the kiddos to add ...
These four stages of the ladybug life cycle are embryonic (eggs), larval (larvae), pupal (pupae), and imaginal (adult beetles). Ladybugs begin their life cycle as eggs laid by the female on plants, typically near a food source like aphids. After hatching, the larvae feed on soft-bodied insects, molting several times before entering the pupal stage.
Here We Go - 66 Ladybugs Facts - Plus Some Bonus Facts. 1. An adult ladybug may actually eat up to 75 aphids in a single day! A staggering general figure of 5000 Aphids during its lifetime. 2. In Victorian times, it was fairly common for doctors to mash up ladybugs for dental care!
This page is a transcript for Homework Essay. Feel free to edit or add to this page as long as the information comes directly from the episode. Scene: Marinette's room. Marinette is working on a homework assignment while Tikki gives advice. Marinette: Write a short essay about someone who inspires you. Tikki: Do you already know who you're ...
Short Essay On A Short Story Of Ladybugs. 1088 Words5 Pages. Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a small village of ladybugs. One of the smallest, and most unique bugs was named Layla. She had been oddly small all of her life and was more yellow than red like most ladybugs. As legend goes, however many spots a ladybug has is how ...
This easy Paper Ladybug Craft for kids is fast and simple with the free printable template! Little ones will enjoy creating their own paper ladybug with moveable wings. Simply print, color, cut, and add a brad to make those wings move! It's a super easy craft that is great for preschool and kindergarten. We've been learning about ladybugs ...
Coccinellidae (/ ˌ k ɒ k s ɪ ˈ n ɛ l ɪ d iː /) [3] is a widespread family of small beetles.They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in the United Kingdom; "lady" refers to mother Mary. Entomologists use the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles to avoid confusion with true bugs.The more than 6,000 described species have a global distribution and are found in a ...
The given diagrams portray the development of a ladybird from an egg during its life cycle and the anatomy of an adult ladybird. there are four stages illustrated in the process, commencing with producing eggs and ending with the development of a mature ladybug. The first stage of the process is when the eggs are produced, which are laying on ...
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Class 1 essay. Class 2 essay. Class 3 essay. LKG worksheet. UKG worksheet. Class 1 Worksheet. Class 2 Worksheet. Class 3 worksheet. Overview. Nursery rhymes are easy to sing and memorise for the kids. They have simple lyrics to follow and learn new words. ... The other versions of this poem have a ladybug in place of the ladybird. The same ...
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CBSE Sample Papers 2025: CBSE has released the sample papers of all subjects for Class 12 for the 2025 Board Exams. Download the subject-wise sample question papers with marking scheme in PDF here.
CBSE Class 11 Retail Skill Subject: General Instructions: 1. Please read the instructions carefully. 2. This Question Paper consists of 24 questions in two sections - Section A & Section B.