Lady Bug Facts and Information
Coccinellidae
Introduction to Lady Bug
The Lady Bug is tiny, but it has a very large presence around the world. It is a type of insect that the young and the old are able to easily recognize. In spite of the name though they have both males and females. They are identified by the bright red coloring with the various black spots on them. There are about 5,000 different species of Lady Bug which also accounts for the variations you will see.
Lady Bug Description
The body of the Lady Bug is oval in shape and it is well designed. If you look at the middle of one you will see that each half of the insect is identical. They have very short legs and they have long antennae. The bright colors and the spots don’t help them to blend into their surroundings. However, it does make them look unappetizing to various predators.
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Coleoptera |
| Suborder | Polyphaga |
| Superfamily | Cucujoidea |
| Family | Coccinellidae |
Lady Bug Distribution
The Lady Bug can live just about anywhere. They are found in fields, parks, and just about anywhere that has the presence of plants and flowers. Studies show that the Lady Bug is draw to light colored homes too that offers them plenty of grass and landscaping. They also prefer those homes that offer them Southwest exposure to sunlight.
Sometimes the Lady Bug will come into the home, especially during the winter months. They aren’t harmful but many people don’t like them there anyway. If you have indoor plants that could be why they are inside. They are likely looking for a warm location where they can hibernate for the winter.
They tend to live where they can find food. They don’t have a set habitat range. They are nomadic to a point. They will remain in one location as long as there is a high food supply. If it is depleting though they will move on to find one that is thriving.
Lady Bug Behavior
As mentioned, the colors of the Lady Bug don’t make them very appealing. Even if a predator doesn’t try to consume them they will find them to be foul tasting. This insect is able to secrete a type of substance that covers their bodies and makes them taste really bad. Predators want food for survival but they also will avoid options that can leave a terrible taste in their mouth.
When a Lady Bug feels it may be in danger it can play dead. This often allows it to be able to survive. They aren’t fast movers and they don’t have any types of defense mechanisms on the body to fight with so this is a survival technique.
Their bodies aren’t able to handle extreme cold. That is why they will hibernate for the winter months. They find warm locations and often hibernate in groups to help them with maintaining body temperature.
Lady Bug Feeding
The Lady Bug consumes large amounts of insects. Aphids are the majority of their diet and they can eat thousands of them per week. In many regions farmers have brought in the Lady Bug intentionally. They use them as a natural resource to be able to help reduce problems of various pests that can destroy the value of the crops they grow.
These Aphids can suck the life out of plants so the Lady Bug consuming them will preserve what a farmer is growing. Plant mites can also be something that they will eat if they live in a location that offers them.
Lady Bug Reproduction
There isn’t a great deal of information known about the courting or mating ritual for the Lady Bug. Once a pair has mated they will stop being around each other. A Lady Bug will lay hundreds of eggs at once. She will lay them on the plants or grass around her. The eggs will become larvae in about 7 to 10 days. Then they will become adults.
