Ladybugs

Why Are They Beneficial?

Ladybugs are great for your yard and garden since they curb the aphid population eating up to 400 aphids per day.¹ They feed not only on aphids, but also other plant-eating insects, such as mites and scales.²

Ladybug Biology

The eggs are yellow and laid on leaves in small clusters. The larvae are black with orange or white markings with six legs but no wings at this stage of development. The larvae pupate and emerge as adult beetles. Their wing covers are dark, reddish-orange to pale yellow, with or without black spots. An interesting self-defense characteristic is the secretion of a yellowish fluid from the joints of their legs.

Where to Find Ladybugs?

In the spring, when the weather starts to get warmer, ladybugs and their larvae can be found on any plant with aphids or scale insects. In the winter, the adults hibernate in sheltered places.

Ladybug Facts

The most common ladybug is red-winged with black spots, but they vary in colour from yellow to all black with markings in black, yellow, red or white.

¹ Bland, Roger G. How to Know the Insect s 3rd Ed. WM. C. Brown Company Publishers. Dubuque, Iowa: 1978.
² http://insected.arizona.edu/ladyinfo.htm