Lady bugs are essential the health of our outdoor gardens, but we often know little about them. Lady Bugs’ transition into adulthood is more difficult than we assume, following stages that we can observe in our outdoor spaces. Learn about different ways to identify the stages of development within your own garden space!
Key Takeaways:
- The process of getting to be an adult ladybug is somewhat convoluted and requires a four stage life cycle process known as complete metamorphosis.
- A female lady bug can lay up to 1,000 eggs over the course of spring and early summer. They may be pale-yellow to almost white to a bright orange/red in color.
- The larvae of ladybugs is harmless but looks like a tiny alligator with an elongated body and armored exoskeleton. A single larva can eat dozens of aphids and eat other soft-bodied garden pests per day.
“Lady beetles, ladybugs, ladybird beetles or whatever you can them, are one of the most beneficial insects in the garden.”
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/ladybug-egg-larvae-information.htm