The author of the text is MSc. Leszek Kośna
Beetles from the Coccinellidae ladybug family, belong to the commonly recognized and liked species of insects inhabiting our gardens. People's sympathy towards ladybirds is influenced by the fact that they are useful organisms.Although it may be hard to believe, these peaceful beetles and their larvae are predators.They feed on aphids and are therefore used in biological pest control.
There are many species of ladybugs in our country that are helpful in the fight against herbivores. One of the most frequently mentioned is the Coccinella septempunctata L ladybug.Adults have distinctive features, thanks to which we have no doubts what kind of insect it is.Oval, convex body, short antennae ending with a rod, and of course black dots on the red surface of the hard wing covers.
There are seven "freckles" in the seven-dot ladybug. Other species have a different number and coloration, such as yellow or black. Adult insects eagerly include aphids feeding on many plant species on their menu. Although they are predators, they also become prey, e.g. eaten by birds.
In the face of danger, they tuck their limbs under the body and fall to the ground, pretending to be dead. In their lives, they are constantly exposed to confrontations with ants, which guard the aphids and, in return, obtain the honeydew from them.When encountering ants, the seven-dot ladybug secretes a yellowish liquid that effectively repels intruders.
Voracious offspring
Immediately after leaving the eggs, the young larvae look for food, which are small spider mites and insects. It is not uncommon for the first larvae to hatch to eat the remainder of the egg bed. They are typical predators who capture their prey and kill them immediately afterwards.They need a lot of food to develop, therefore they are very voracious and mobile looking for prey.Depending on the prevailing temperatures, after 2-3 weeks of abundant hunting for aphids, the larvae turn into pupae. These developmental stages are little known and often not associated with adult ladybugs at all.
Ladybug larvae differ significantly from adult characters. They are stocky, dark-colored - their cuticles are navy blue, with red warts on top of them. Nature has endowed the ladybug pupae with an orange color.They can often be found attached to plants, hanging motionless upside down.As human allies in the fight against plant pests, ladybirds can count on our protection.
Due to the fact that they are very common and spend two generations a year, they are very effective. Ladybugs hibernate as adult insects in a numb state.When the autumn rainfall comes, they start to hide in the forest litter, under the bark and in tree hollows, as well as in various places of human settlements.They often hibernate in one place - then they are found in large numbers in one hideout.
