Everyone is accustomed to calling these beetles "ladybugs", but researchers call them the Latin Coccinellidae, sincerely wondering where this "divine" connection came from.
The most common type of beetle with red elytra and black dotted pattern is affectionately called "ladybug". It is difficult to find a person who has not heard about these insects, but how much do people know about them
The beauty of a ladybug can be compared with butterflies, and the most interesting thing is that they are born almost the same!
The birth of this insect does not take so little time: one or two months. This is called the life cycle. In the ladybug, it has four stages. It:
- egg stage, - the stage of the larva, - pupal stage
- the final stage of maturation.
Egg stage
The first stage is the egg stage. The ladybug, laying eggs, tries to protect her offspring. To do this, the female hides the eggs of future beetles on the back of the leaves. So they are not visible to insects and other predators. An interesting feature is that a mother for her children is looking for a place where there are a lot of aphids, so that after birth they will have food for the first time.
Larva stage
And now one or two weeks pass, and the larvae hatch from the eggs, which means that the second stage has come. Ladybug larvae are quite mobile, have an enviable appetite, eating aphid eggs and their newly hatched larvae from the first minutes of life. This stage lasts about a month, during which time the larva reaches a centimeter in length.
The third stage of the pupa
The ladybug is attached to the leaf of the plant. It turns into an immobile pupa, which hardens and turns brown. She has a rather strong shell, in a week and a half she will burst and a bug will appear.
Growing up stage
The fourth stage begins with the birth of a small beetle, which we affectionately call "the sun". Finally, we see our familiar ladybug, which can now fly. And after waiting a little until its wings get stronger, it will hide from your eyes in search of food.
Few people know how important these beetles are for vegetable gardens. The ladybug is a true plant protector, she eats pests such as aphids and spider mites.
In the fall, ladybugs will hide in secluded places to spend the winter. For example, under the bark, in fallen leaves, in warm moss. In the spring, when everything is blooming, they will reappear and will delight with their bright outfit.
However, not everyone survives wintering, so it is generally accepted that, on average, a ladybug lives from 10 to 12 months, although in fact the life cycle can last up to one and a half years.
