All we know who this ladybug.Photo of small red beetle with black spots familiar to us almost from birth, as is very common in many children's books.Well and those who have not seen it live, it is unlikely to find.And yet, what we know about her?Where does she live?Where winters?What generally happens species?And most importantly - what they eat ladybugs?
Coccinellidae - which is Latin for "ladybug"
belonging to the family of beetles, the insects still looks a bit different from their counterparts, especially the structure of the legs.Unlike other members of this family, whose legs have a distinct chetyrehchlenistuyu form, it seems that the ladybug from all three.In fact it is not - just one of them is almost invisible, and it seems that the "joints" of all three.The body of a God ladybugs or polusharoobraznuyu ovoid shape and a little short on the head, there are small antennae (antennae), which usually consist of 11 (sometimes 10) segments.On the abdomen, too, there are 5 departments.Depending on how many and what they eat ladybirds, their life expectancy may be up to two years, but more often it is between a few months to one year.
total there are more than four thousand species of ladybugs, which are found on every continent (except Antarctica), but the most common type is a seven-spotted ladybug.Each species prefers a habitat.Someone prefers to live in trees or bushes, someone - in the meadows, while others - closer to the water.Most of us are confident that ladybugs are the same color - red.In fact it is not.There are orange, and yellow, and black, even and white.
ladybug have almost no enemies.Birds and animals with ladybirds prefer not to get involved, and on frogs, spiders and other insects they have effective protection in the form of sodium yellow substance (cantharidin), in case of danger emitted from the leg joints.
Where winter ladybugs
Oddly, ladybugs are migratory insects.However, they do not fly south like birds, and prefer to spend the winter in the vicinity of their homes.However, being quite good fliers (in the second they make 85 strokes), these tiny beetles are able to cover a distance of hundreds of kilometers to find a hiding place for the winter.They prefer to spend the winter in the mountains, where crawl under rocks or in the cracks until spring.If you are not near the mountains, they can survive the winter in the forest.For example, seven-spotted ladybugs find refuge under the leaves or stones.With the onset of spring, they usually return to their homes, although they may move to another location.
recuperate after a harsh winter, ladybugs start to lay eggs (usually female lays 200-1000 pieces).Like other insects, during the life of ladybugs through several stages - egg, larva, pupa, imago (adult).
What eat ladybugs
By their nature, ladybugs are predators.The object of the hunt are small insects and their larvae (mealybug, whitefly, spider mite, Jose scale, leaf beetles, etc.), harmful to horticultural plants.Any gardener is well known that the ladybug eating aphids - a very willingly and in large quantities.The day adult ladybug can eat up to two hundred aphids (incidentally, it is also the larvae consume aphids, not less hard).They can be found under the bark of pests and, in the twisted leaves, and can even get into the ground.The chemicals also act superficially, ruining including beneficial insects.Therefore, ladybirds are often transferred to special areas of infestation.There are cases where these little bugs saved seasonal harvests.
In English-speaking countries is called a ladybird Ladybird, Lady Beetle or Ladybug, meaning by the word «Lady» Virgin Mary and believing that this insect is a divine being.The same - and in other languages.Because it goes without saying that it is being hurt in any case impossible.After all that eating ladybugs?Only pest to deal with that are not able to any, even the most advanced chemicals.
