Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing ladybugs. These insects are also known as ladybirds, however, scientists consider “lady beetle” to be the most accurate name for these animals. That’s because lady beetles aren’t birds or bugs at all and the common name lady beetle most accurately represents their taxonomic position. Still, any of these three names is technically correct as common names can vary vastly from scientific nomenclature. Oh, and the “lady” part of the lady beetle’s name comes from medieval times when these insects were believed to bring good fortune to farmers. The farmers prayed to the Lady, or Virgin Mary, to rid their crops of pests and the beetles came and ate the pests! Even today lady beetles are beloved for their pest control abilities!

Adult lady beetles are up to 10mm long or smaller. Female lady beetles are often larger than the males and while their spots do not give any indication of their age, as is erroneously believed, they can give an indication of the lady beetle’s species. There are nearly 6,000 described species of lady beetles and they are considered a cosmopolitan species, meaning they can be found worldwide - though they don’t live in Antarctica. These beetles may be found in any habitat that provides enough food. The main food source for many lady beetle species are aphids. We’ve talked about aphids in a previous episode if you want to leave more about them, but suffice to say for most farmers aphids are bad news. These small insects bite plants and suck up their juices which can stunt the plants’ growth. Lady beetles, however, eat aphids and they are often used as biological control over these insects. This means lady beetles help produce more crops. However, there are often non-native lady beetles used for pest control. This can be harmful for native species who then have to compete with the non-natives for food. Other food sources for lady beetles include mites, insects eggs, scales insects, and more, though some species are plant eaters and can themselves become plant pests!

Lady beetles are often seen in a red color with black spots, however these insects can appear yellow, orange, black and even steelblue depending on the species. They don’t always have spots, either, with some sporting stripes! These bright colors are believed to be a warning to predators that lady beetles taste terrible. Adult lady beetles are able to secrete a toxin that gives them an offensive taste. Even their earlier life stages come with bad taste and bright warning colors. Their eggs often appear bright yellow. These are laid on plants, usually right near an aphid food source, and hatch about a week later. The larvae that emerge are described to have a crocodile-like appearance and sport bright reds and yellows to warn off predators. They’ll shed their outer layer four times before entering a pupal stage in which they become hard and don’t move until the adult lady beetle emerges. Adult lady beetles hibernate in winter, usually in large groups, and then emerge in spring to begin the process all over again.

While they generally lack predators due to their unpleasant taste, lady beetles may face threats from parasites like parasitic wasps. Most species survive about a year from egg to adulthood, however some may live a few years and others may produce a few generations in a single year.

Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! Thank you to Halima for today’s request! For more facts on ladybugs or ladybirds, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thanks for watching Animal Fact Files!