It is that time of year when the ladybugs make their grand debut before the cold weather sets in. It is my favorite time of the autumn season. They seem to only be around for a short time before it gets too cold for them to be flying about, but when they are...it is pretty neat...to me anyway.
Walking around on tiny short legs with little antennas, these tiny round red/orange/yellow beetles have black spots which vary in patterns. These colors and spots make predators unattracted to them. If they are threatened the ladybug can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste and they can play dead!
The Coccinella septempunctata is the scientific name for the ladybug. It can live two to three years in the wild (who would have thought!) I didn't know an insect could live that long!
There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs. In Europe they are called ladybird beetles.
Some of these brightly colored creatures have a great appetite which farmers love because they eat plant eating insects which eat crops. Ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs in colonies of these plant eating insects and when the larvae hatch...they feed on them. These larvae can eat up to 5,000 insects in its larvae stage of life, which is 3-6 weeks. Not all ladybugs eat plant eating insects, some eat plants.
They are also considered good luck in some cultures!
Sandi, I noticed ladybugs at my house last weekend. It would have been good to explain why they are so common this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI did some more research and found out that they tend to make their way into houses and other buildings to hibernate for the winter...they come in through windows, doors, and other cracks. However, they tend to die when they are indoors, the heat makes them use up their body reserves before the winter is over so it is better to move them outside!
ReplyDelete