Even the tiniest things can be miracles
- Tejaswini J
- Oct 10, 2020
- 2 min read
Oil Pastel drawing of Seven spotted ladybird beetle by Priyanka.G
XI std, AV. Meiyappan Matriculation Higher Secondary School
Inspiration source: https://youtu.be/lzrhAAJiNDo
Identification of the Seven spotted ladybird beetle(Coccinella septumpunctata): It has three black spots on either side of the body with one spot in the middle. The head is black and has white patches on either side.
Although popularly known as "ladybug", the ladybird beetle family is not classified as 'true bugs'. One of the significant differences between bugs and beetles lies in the use of their mouthparts. Bugs survive on a liquid diet like sap, nectar, or animal fluids with the help of their pierce-sucking mouthparts. Whereas, beetles possess mouthparts to feed on solid food.
Ladybirds are beetles which belong to the Order Coleoptera that constitute about 25% of all living forms and is widespread. Lifespan of these beetles are anywhere from 2 to 3 years. They feed majorly on plant-eating insects such as Aphids, scaly winged insects, mealybugs, and thrips (hemipterans) and thereby a biological control agent.
The seven spotted ladybird beetle predominantly feeds on Aphids which are pests found on grass, pea, cowpea, and several vegetable plants. The diet of an individual lady beetle may consist of 5000 aphids in its lifetime! They lay hundreds of eggs in the colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests and once the eggs hatch the larvae start feeding. Farmers love them for their voracious appetite as they help in keeping the pests out of their crop.
Interesting facts
Ladybugs are also called ladybirds or lady beetles in some places
They are poisonous and secrete poison from their leg joints
The red and black colouring on a ladybird while looks attractive to human eyes, it is actually a warning to its predators
There is also cannibalism found in one of their species - Harlequin ladybugs
Ladybugs lay extra eggs (without embryos) as a snack for their babies when they hatch
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