It’s easy to imagine a baby ladybug resembling an adult one, only in a smaller and cuter form. However, you may not know that these odd creatures take on a different shape altogether.
When they hatch out of the eggs, ladybug larvae resemble miniature alligators. Like alligators, they have spiny bodies and long, pointed abdomens. They also possess legs that protrude from their sides. During this period, the larvae consume a lot of aphids for their growth and development. This stage precedes the pupa stage, which precedes the development into adulthood.
The spots on a ladybug aren't only for beautification purposes. They also serve as a warning to predators, thereby protecting the insect from predation.
The bright colors and spots warn would-be predators that the insect is toxic and tastes horrible.
Apart from their colors, another one of the ladybug defenses is the foul-smelling blood they emit. This yellow liquid comes from their leg joints, leaving yellow stains on the surface below. This liquid is toxic to various ladybug predators, protecting these little creatures from harm as predators avoid the seemingly sickly beetle. They also have a third defense mechanism, which is to play dead.
Since the ladybug feeds on aphids and other plant-feeding insect types, many farmers try to incorporate them on their land as pest control. As stated earlier, a ladybug can consume as many as 5000 insect types in its lifetime. This natural diet serves many farm and garden areas since they serve as predators of pests that damage plants.
The ladybug or ladybird beetle is a type of beetle. In the middle ages, a species of this cute bug was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and were called the ‘Beetle of Our Lady.’ That's how the ladybug’s name originated.
The bright red ladybug with black markings is popular, but it's not the only kind. Some ladybugs have yellow or red markings. Ladybugs feed on farm pests like mites, scales, and aphids; farmers love them as they help eliminate those pests with zero pesticide use.
Read more about these cute little beetle’s in our ladybug facts
