Ladybug Life Cycle | All about Ladybugs

Let's learn about the life cycle of a ladybug. Ladybugs are some of the most loved beetles around. They are distinguishable by their little red, orange or yellow bodies and most people would identify them by their spots. Ladybugs are insects and have the distinctive features. They have a head, a thorax, six legs, an abdomen and wings. Their wings are actually hidden until they are ready to fly. The colored hard shell that they are known for protects the body when they are not in flight. Ladybugs are sometimes called lady beetles or ladybird beetles. They are invertebrates because they do not have a backbone. There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide. Here is a map showing the distribution of ladybugs worldwide. As you can see, they can be found everywhere except in the Arctic and Antarctic regions where it is too cold. Ladybugs can be found in a variety of habitats. Forests, grasslands, near bodies of water, in city parks or gardens, in suburbs and even on farms. These beautiful creatures can have anywhere from 0 to 24 spots. The number of spots a ladybug has helps to identify the species. Spots along with its bright red, orange or yellow coloration is a warning to predators to stay away. It lets the predators know that they taste bad. Some ladybugs have white spots and other species even have stripes. In addition to their coloration, ladybugs protect themselves by releasing a foul smelling liquid from their bodies. Predators do not like the smell and will leave them alone. Ladybugs will also play dead if they feel threatened. Ladybugs are omnivores which means they eat both plants and animals. Depending on the species, they will eat plant parts like stems and leaves, nectar, pollen or other insects. The most common food are aphids which are slow moving, wingless bugs. Farmers particularly love ladybugs because they eat the aphids which usually destroy the crops. Now that we know a little more about these wonderful creatures, let's discuss their life cycle. Ladybugs go through a complete metamorphosis as they move through their stages of life. The life of a ladybug starts in an egg. Female ladybugs often lay 3-5 eggs in clusters on a leaf or near prey so food would be readily available when they hatch. In 3-10 days, the ladybug larva will emerge from their eggs. They are usually very hungry and can eat 350-400 aphids in a span of 2 weeks. The larvae that emerge from the eggs do not look like the adults. They have elongated bodies, a bumpy exoskeleton and brightly colored bands or spots on their backs. They will grow and molt up to 4 times before they are ready for the next stage of life. In this stage of life, the ladybug pupae attaches itself to a leaf and remains very still for 7-10 days. During this time, the pupae undergoes a big change. All the cells in its body are moved around to form the adult ladybug. Nature is fascinating. After the pupa stage, adult or mature ladybugs emerge. Newly emerged ladybugs are pale and have soft exoskeletons which makes them a prime target of predators. After some time, their exoskeletons will harden and they will gain their signature bright colorations and spots. Let's review. A ladybug goes through a complete metamorphosis from egg to the larval stage to the pupil stage and finally to the adult stage of life. Ladybugs are most active in the spring and fall when temperatures are warmer. Once the temperature gets cold, they look for ideal places for hibernation. They hibernate under rocks, in rotting logs or in buildings. Ladybugs will also cluster together for warmth or to intensify their scent to further protect them from predators. Like all creatures, ladybugs have a place in their natural ecosystem. In many cultures, they are a sign of good fortune, positivity and success. They are fascinating little creatures. Thanks for coming along with us today as we learned about the life cycle of a ladybug. As always, thank you for watching. Tell us what you want to see next. Email EZAHomeschoolacademy at yahoo.com Like and share our videos. Please subscribe to our channel.