We all know who the ladybug is. The photo of this small red bug with black spots has been familiar to us from almost its very birth, since it is very often found in many children's books. Well, those who did not see her live are unlikely to be found. And yet, what do we know about her? Where she lives? Where is wintering? What are the types? And most importantly - what do ladybugs eat?
Coccinellidae - which in Latin means "ladybug"
Belonging to the family of beetles, these insects are nevertheless outwardly somewhat different from their counterparts, primarily in the structure of their legs. Unlike other representatives of this family, in which the legs have a distinct four-membered shape, it seems that there are only three of the ladybugs. In fact, this is not so - just one of them is almost invisible, and it seems that there are only three “joints”. The body of a ladybug has an egg-shaped or hemispherical shape, and on a small short head there are small antennae (stitches), which usually consist of 11 (less often 10) segments. The abdomen also has 5 sections. Depending on how much and what ladybugs eat, their life expectancy can be up to two years, but most often it ranges from several months to one year.
In total, there are more than four thousand species of ladybugs that live on all continents (with the exception of Antarctica), but the most common species is the seven-point ladybug. Each species prefers its own habitat. Someone prefers to settle in trees or shrubs, someone in the meadows, and someone closer to the water. Most of us are confident that ladybugs come in the same color — red. This is actually not the case. There are orange, and yellow and black, and even white.
The ladybug has almost no enemies. Birds or animals with ladybugs prefer not to bind, and from frogs, spiders and other insects they have effective protection in the form of a caustic yellow substance (cantharidin), which, in case of danger, is released from the joints of the legs.
Where ladybugs winter
Oddly enough, ladybugs are migratory insects. True, they do not fly south like birds, but prefer to winter near their native places. Nevertheless, being good flyers (they make 85 strokes per second), these tiny bugs are able to cover hundreds of kilometers to find a secluded place for the winter. They prefer to winter in the mountains, where they crawl under stones or in cracks until spring. If there are no mountains nearby, then they can survive the winter in the forest. For example, seven-dot ladybugs take refuge under leaves or stones. With the onset of spring, they usually return to their native lands, although they can also move to another locality.
Having regained strength after a harsh winter, ladybugs begin to lay eggs (usually the female lays 200-1000 pieces). Like other insects, ladybirds go through several stages throughout their lives - an egg, a larva, a pupa, and an adult (adult).
What ladybugs eat
By their nature, ladybugs are predators. The object of hunting are small insects and their larvae (mealybug, whitefly, spider mite, scutellaria, leaf beetles, etc.), which damage garden plants. Any gardener is well aware that a ladybug eats aphids - very willingly and in large quantities. An adult ladybug can eat up to two hundred aphids per day (by the way, its larvae also absorb aphids, and no less zealously). They are able to find pests both under the bark and in twisted leaves, and can even make their way underground. Chemicals act superficially, ruining including beneficial insects. Therefore, ladybugs are often specially transferred to pest-infected areas. There are cases when these little bugs saved seasonal crops.
In English-speaking countries, the ladybug is called Ladybird, Lady Beetle or Ladybug, meaning the word “Virgin” to Virgin Mary and believing that this insect is a divine being. The same is true in other languages. Therefore, it goes without saying that it is impossible to offend this creature in any case. After all, what do ladybugs eat? Only pests that no, even the most advanced chemicals can handle.
