Ladybugs are those little insects that have become famous for being brightly colored and preying on one of the gardener’s most numerous enemies, as they are one of the most effective home remedies for aphids. But, Do we really know his life and all his curiosities? In this post you can check it.
Contents
What are ladybugs?
Ladybugs are an insect belonging to the Coccinellidae family. They are also known as San Antonio cows or ladybugs. These insects are characterized by their round bodies and brightly colored, sometimes mottled, shells.
A ladybug’s life begins when it hatches from the egg 3-5 days after its mother lays the eggs.
These would be the eggs of the ladybugs that can be found in the garden. As you can see, they are quite recognizable. In any case, care must be taken not to confuse them with other beetles. We have an article with many images of eggs that we can find in our plants.
The larvae are very small, only a few millimeters, but they are already perfect machines for devouring aphids and other soft-bodied insects such as scale insects. About a month after the birth of the larva, it is already large enough to be able to turn into a pupa.
After a few days, the pupa begins to darken, then the yellowish ladybug emerges, which gradually begins to acquire the characteristic red color. The more aphids it eats, the redder its shell will be. This is very important as their survival depends on it as it is a warning against birds and predators. In addition, the ladybug is able to release a foul-smelling liquid that also has a very bad taste, as it is toxic to small predators.
They live for up to a year, feeding on aphids which they are able to find with their ability to smell with their feet. When winter comes, they huddle under stones, bark or other places and hibernate. In Spring they mate and lay eggs, reaching the end of their life as adult ladybugs.
Benefits of ladybugs for the garden
Ladybugs are beneficial insects that feed on other insects that can damage the garden, such as aphids. They can also help control other pest problems, such as whiteflies.
To have them in the garden as biological pest control we can buy live ladybugs. There are many stores where we can currently get your eggs.
we also saw how to attract ladybugs naturally, by planting some of the 10 favorite plants of this insect.
Another additional option is to install a hotel for ladybugsa insect hotel unique to this species. Or as we have already seen in the post of how to raise ladybugsmake our kennel.
The harm of ladybugs
In themselves, they are all advantages. It is true that there are species like the Harmonia axiridis or the Asian lady beetle, which although it can act as a biological pest controller, is a problem because it eats native species. This is why it is considered an invasive species.
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