How many points does a ladybug have and what does it depend on? What determines the number of dots on the back of a ladybug CK black dots in a ladybug

The seven-point is known to everyone from childhood. Many kids are not afraid of this insect. They come up with many fairy tales and funny rhymes about him. This species was first described in 1758. This red insect, according to the observations of entomologists, is of great benefit to people. It destroys harmful insects that damage plants in gardens and vegetable gardens.

Where does this insect live?

Of all the species, the most famous is the seven-point ladybug. It can be found in all European countries except the northern zones. In addition, this bug is found in North Africa and even in Japan.

But in North America, the insect could not bring much benefit. Despite the fact that it was brought to the continent, the red ladybug could not take root. There are only a few species left in North America that are not producing the desired results.

This insect prefers to live in a grassy grove, as well as in forest plantations, meadows, fields, plains and ravines. It is during the autumn period that ladybugs form large column flocks. The number of accumulated insects reaches several thousand.

Description of this species, developmental features

Initially, the ladybug looks like a larva, the size of which does not exceed 1 mm. It only takes her one month to move to a new level of development.

Then it already has a size of 8 to 10 mm. The body of the larva is usually gray, but the head is yellow. The same color and spots on the sides of this insect. The body has segments on which black spines with hairs can be seen.

In order to get food, such a larva can climb to a height of 12 m. During the day, to be full, it needs to consume about 100 adult aphids or 300 of its larvae. A month later, the larva enters the pupal stage. It takes about 12 days for a ladybug to fully develop and mature. But it all depends on the temperature of the air: the warmer it is, the faster an adult ladybug will turn out of the pupa.

Description of an adult

The body, wings and abdomen of an adult insect are black. The wings are mainly red or orange with specks characteristic of this insect (7 dots). For this reason, the seven-spot ladybug was named so. Three points are on one red wing, and the same number on the second. But the 7th speck can be seen near the beetle's head.

Adult ladybugs begin to appear on the street in the first half of June, when it starts to get warm. In places where heat comes faster, ladybirds can be found in May.

They eat aphids and can eat up to 60 adult pests during the day. A ladybug lives from several months to two years. The description of the larvae indicates that they eat far more aphids than adults to grow and develop quickly.

Reproduction

A female ladybug can lay about 1000 eggs throughout her life stage.

The eggs of these insects are oval. They are up to 1.2 mm in size. The color of the laid testicles is orange. The masonry shape generally looks like a small pile. An adult female can lay 20 to 90 small testicles at a time. Basically, such masonry is located in safe places, that is, under leaves, blades of grass, at the base of the branches.

A large number of ladybirds can be observed precisely at the end of summer, when two generations of beetles have already hatched and developed. The larvae do not hibernate, since only adults can survive this period.

What are the different types of ladybugs?

More than 4 thousand types are known. Ladybird species are divided into 7 subfamilies. Of these, the most interesting and popular types are distinguished:

Ladybug 2-point;

7-point;

12-point ladybug;

13-point;

14-point ladybug;

17-point ladybug;

Asian ladybug.

What does this insect eat and what benefits does it bring to humans?

The seven-spot ladybug is a predator. Moreover, at any stage of its development, it feeds exclusively on other bugs. Basically, it eats various types of aphids, which lives on all kinds of plants and trees. In addition, the bug eats the eggs of other insects: etc.

Such a beetle can be most often observed on fruit trees, currant bushes, as well as on pine, aspen and bird cherry. The presence of such plants in the regions of our country indicates a large number of these insects.

What do gardeners think about the seven-point ladybug? How to attract this insect?

Is the seven-spotted ladybug a pest or not? Many gardeners will, of course, say no. Thanks to this small insect, a significant amount of the crop is preserved. Aphids, which eat and harm many plants, are the ladybug's most important food source.

Those people who prefer not to use chemical compositions for the destruction of pests for their plants believe that the ladybug will be the best helper. But in order for the benefits of this insect to be more tangible, on your site you need to maintain appropriate conditions for the comfortable life of these red insects. To do this, do not destroy all the aphids in the spring, and especially resort to harmful chemicals, because then the ladybug will not fly. It is better to leave some aphids so that our insect can feed itself. This will attract ladybugs, and they will stay in your area for a long time, helping to fight numerous pests.

Conclusion

Now you know what the seven-spot ladybug is, how it looks, develops, what it feeds on. It turns out that such a small bug can be of immense benefit! In order to attract him to your garden or garden, you do not need to do anything special - you just need to allow natural processes to flow naturally. Remember that in nature everything is interconnected, so it is important to maintain this common cycle. It is also worth thinking about completely abandoning the use of all kinds of chemicals to protect the crop. Nature can take care of itself, you just need to help her a little!

Ladybugs are gardener's helpers.

These bugs, familiar to everyone from childhood, like their larvae, are natural enemies of aphids. Cute and beloved ladybugs are everyone's favorite gardeners' helpers.

In Europe, there are only 100 species of ladybirds, or coccinellids, out of 5000 representatives of this large family. Most of the ladybird species live in tropical and subtropical climates. Even the seven-spotted ladybug familiar to all of us, or seven-spotted, needs warmth. On warm days, ladybugs lead an active lifestyle - they fly faster and more. On cool days, ladybugs are less mobile.

The number, color and shape of dots on the elytra of these insects have become distinctive features of various species. The number of dots, contrary to popular belief, does not say anything about the age of the insects. Most of the ladybirds living in our latitudes feed on aphids. Others feed on coccids (scale insects and mealybugs), spider mites, and even whiteflies. Few species of ladybugs feed on plants and fungal spores. Many species other than animal food. They also use vegetable - they feast on pollen and nectar. Not all ladybugs specialize in eating various types of aphids, some feed only on certain species, so they travel a considerable distance in search of food. The availability of food and the weather significantly affect the development, growth rate and increase in the number of ladybirds.

Females reproduce only in the presence of food, then their eggs ripen. Each female lays 400 yellow eggs in groups of 10-30 on the underside of the leaf, usually next to the aphid colony. Ladybugs, feed on coccids, lay eggs under the shell of pests. The larvae hatch from the eggs after 7-10 days. The larvae are long, dark-colored. Before pupation, they go through four to five growth stages. During this period, the larvae must actively feed. After 3-6 weeks, they pupate on leaves or tree trunks. Pupae are rounded. Painted orange or black. After four to nine weeks, yellow-orange beetles with pale spots on the elytra hatch from the pupae. The complete development cycle of a ladybug lasts from one to three months. Ladybugs give from one to two generations a year.

It is best to refrain from using pest control chemicals. Adult ladybugs and their larvae are very sensitive to insecticides. In the spring, we do not spray the plants with aphid chemistry, since we deprive the adult generation of cows of the food they need to lay eggs. You can help ladybirds by growing trees and shrubs in the garden, which will be occupied by various types of aphids. In addition, ladybugs will find a good wintering place on them.

As for wintering places, then for this purpose the following may be suitable:

Hedges and brushwood heaps provide a safe wintering place. We leave in the garden until spring heaps of fallen leaves and brushwood. Dry rocky walls and old trees with deep crevices in the bark are ideal places for ladybirds to winter. In barns, woodpiles and birdhouses, as well as in the walls of wooden houses, a whole colony of ladybirds can winter. Ladybugs can hibernate in a piece of wood with suitable holes drilled in it, or in bundles of reed stalks. You can also help ladybugs, as they are among the worst natural enemies of aphids and some other pests. They do not have special devices for hunting aphids, therefore, after eating pests, they move to another plant in search of food. Ladybugs fly around many plants in a day. Finding food takes a lot of their energy. Adult beetles (seven-spotted ladybugs) eat up to 150 aphids per day, and smaller species - about 60. The seven-spotted ladybug larva eats at least 800 aphids for further development before pupation.

If suddenly you find in your garden a more different ladybug from what you are used to observing, then here is a short description of the types of cows:

Ocellated ladybird - length 8-10mm, yellow-red elytra with 20 black dots with light edges, found in forests, usually in pine forests (feeds on lice), as well as garden trees and shrubs.

De-spotted ladybird - length 3.5-5 mm, elytra are dark red or dark brown, each with five black dots, the most numerous of the species that prey on aphids in meadows and among trees or shrubs.

Ladybug fourteen-point - length 3.5-4.5 mm, over 100 different shapes, elytra are red or yellow with 14 dark wheelbarrows, hunts for different types of aphids.

Dot ladybird - length 1.3-1.5 mm, black hairy elytra, yellow legs and antennae, lives on deciduous and fruit trees, feeds on spider mites.

Ladybug 22-point - length 3-4.5 mm, long lemon-yellow beetle with 22 black dots, does not eat aphids, feeds on mealy mushrooms on trees, shrubs, meadow plants and grapes e.

Dotted ladybird - length 7-9 mm, black elytra, decorated with numerous yellow spots. It feeds on aphids that attack conifers.

Here is such a big family of ladybirds, we take care of them and feed them to aphids. Good luck to you.

Later it turned out that there are more than 1000 species of ladybirds (Latin Coccinellidae) in the world. They live in different places: some liked the plants on which aphids are found (these are probably the laziest, or better to say, pragmatic - food is always nearby), others have looked after the wild grasses of indescribable beauty for themselves, while others liked the meadows with a view on the stream, some preferred to sit on aquatic plants altogether.

The most common species, it turns out, is the seven-spotted ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata). Its black breast is decorated with a whitish spot in the anterior corner, on the red elytra there are seven black dots (three on each elytron and one common scutellum). It is found in Europe, North Africa, Asia and feeds on aphids.

This is what a ladybug with two dots (Adalia bipunctata) looks like.

It is curious that this particular ladybug was approved as the national insect of Latvia in 1991 by the Society of Entomologists of Latvia. She is useful, slow by nature, but this does not prevent her from defending herself well - it is thanks to her appearance and behavior that she is so loved in Latvia. In Latvian, she is called marite, this is the name of the ancient Latvian deity Mara, who embodies earthly strength.

And so - with 22 points (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata).

Recently I read about an amazing ladybird (Ailocaria hexaspilota Hope), the design on the elytra of which is indeed worthy of surprise and philosophical treatises. This type of ladybug can be found here only in the south of the Far East. She first lives on bird cherry, and by the end of May she moves to Manchurian nut. Loves to eat leaf beetles. It also surprises with the fact that flocks of amazing cows accumulate during the wintering period. Imagine what a beauty it turns out!

No matter how many dots decorate the back of a ladybug, it is beautiful to the envy of all insects and to the delight of people. Let's pay attention to these wonderful creatures!

Once a familiar artist who took my "painting talents" under his wing insisted that six points must be drawn on the ladybug's back. Even at that moment, I guessed that this was not entirely true. In childhood, we even believed that the number of dots on the wings indicates the age of the ladybird.

Later it turned out that there are more than 1000 species of ladybirds (Latin Coccinellidae) in the world.

They live in different places: some liked the plants on which aphids are found (these are probably the laziest, or better to say, pragmatic - food is always nearby), others have looked after the wild grasses of indescribable beauty for themselves, while others liked the meadows with a view on the stream, some preferred to sit on aquatic plants altogether.

With seven points.

The most common species, it turns out, is the seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). Its black breast is decorated with a whitish spot in the anterior corner, on the red elytra there are seven black dots (three on each elytron and one common scutellum). It is found in Europe, North Africa, Asia and feeds on aphids.

According to the atlas of ladybugs, you may encounter a ladybug with the number of specks from two to twenty-six.

This is what a ladybug with two dots (Adalia bipunctata) looks like.

Recently I read about an amazing ladybird (Ailocaria hexaspilota Hope), the design on the elytra of which is indeed worthy of surprise and philosophical treatises.

This type of ladybug can be found here only in the south of the Far East. She first lives on bird cherry, and by the end of May she moves to Manchurian nut. Loves to eat leaf beetles. It also surprises with the fact that flocks of amazing cows accumulate during the wintering period. Imagine what a beauty it turns out!

No matter how many dots decorate the back of a ladybug, it is beautiful to the envy of all insects and to the delight of people. Let's pay attention to these wonderful creatures! To find the answer to your question, use the form -

How many points on the back does a ladybug have? and got the best answer

Answer from Olga [guru]
there are more than 1000 species of ladybirds (Latin Coccinellidae) in the world. They live in different places: some liked the plants on which aphids are found (these are probably the laziest, or better to say, pragmatic - food is always nearby), others have looked after the wild grasses of indescribable beauty for themselves, while others liked the meadows with a view on the stream, some preferred to sit on aquatic plants altogether.


This is what a ladybug with two dots (Adalia bipunctata) looks like.

And so - with 22 points (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata).
an amazing ladybug (Ailocaria hexaspilota Hope), the pattern on the elytra of which is indeed worthy of surprise and philosophical treatises. This type of ladybug can be found here only in the south of the Far East. She first lives on bird cherry, and by the end of May she moves to Manchurian nut. Loves to eat leaf beetles. It also surprises with the fact that flocks of amazing cows accumulate during the wintering period. Imagine what a beauty it turns out!

Answer from International[active]
for some reason this is always associated with age, but in fact it is not true. always in different ways. there may even be an odd number!

Answer from blacken[guru]
Everyone has different things:

Answer from Voltaire[guru]
Once one artist insisted that six points must be drawn on the back of a ladybug.
Later it turned out that there are more than 1000 species of ladybirds (Latin Coccinellidae) in the world. They live in different places: some liked the plants on which aphids are found (these are probably the laziest, or better to say, pragmatic - food is always nearby), others have looked after the wild grasses of indescribable beauty for themselves, while others liked the meadows with a view on the stream, some preferred to sit on aquatic plants altogether.
The most common species, it turns out, is the seven-spotted ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata). Its black breast is decorated with a whitish spot in the anterior corner, on the red elytra there are seven black dots (three on each elytron and one common scutellum). It is found in Europe, North Africa, Asia and feeds on aphids.
According to the atlas of ladybugs, you may encounter a ladybug with the number of specks from two to twenty-six.
It is curious that this particular ladybug was approved as the national insect of Latvia in 1991 by the Society of Entomologists of Latvia. She is useful, slow by nature, but this does not prevent her from defending herself well - it is thanks to her appearance and behavior that she is so loved in Latvia. In Latvian, she is called marite, this is the name of the ancient Latvian deity Mara, who embodies earthly strength.
Recently I read about an amazing ladybird (Ailocaria hexaspilota Hope), the design on the elytra of which is indeed worthy of surprise and philosophical treatises. This type of ladybug can be found here only in the south of the Far East. She first lives on bird cherry, and by the end of May she moves to Manchurian nut. Loves to eat leaf beetles. It also surprises with the fact that flocks of amazing cows accumulate during the wintering period. Imagine what a beauty it turns out!
No matter how many dots decorate the back of a ladybug, it is beautiful to the envy of all insects and to the delight of people. Let's pay attention to these wonderful creatures!

Answer from synthetics[guru]
If you need a serious answer, then I can say unequivocally: what was described above everything is correct, but only this is not a LADYBUG, this is a kind of Colorado potato beetle (the main species and a real Colorado beetle striped) and it has a lot of dots and different numbers. And it is the LADYBIRD that has exactly 7 points, and one is in the middle of the wings and can only be seen when her wings are folded.

Answer from vanity[master]
should be 6, in my opinion. But it certainly has nothing to do with her age :))

Answer from Intensive[guru]
At the expense of age - complete nonsense, a ladybug, having hatched from a pupa, never grows again and, accordingly, does not change. And the number of points depends on the type of ladybug. There are three-, five- and seven-spotted ladybugs.

Answer from Helena[guru]
The dots on the back of a ladybug are not her age, but her appearance. The most common ladybug is called that in science, the seven-spotted ladybug. Remember zoology. The larva molts many times and grows, then pupates and an adult insect emerges, because of the chitinous cover it cannot grow, its task is to find a partner to lay eggs, and then death.

Answer from Secret[guru]
And what are there not!
In Russia, there are 3 types of herbivorous cows.
In the Far East, serious harm to potato crops,
cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetable crops causes
- think of it - 28-point potato ladybug !!
(Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata Motsch.), Previously attributed to the genus Epilachna.
In the Smolensk, Saratov and other regions of the middle zone and south
Russia occasionally damages alfalfa, clover and sweet clover
pointless ladybird (Cynegetis impunctata L.).
and according to their science:
In the family Cocinellidae, 7 subfamilies are now usually distinguished (according to Sasaji, 1971):
Sticholotidinae (\u003d Sticholotinae)
Coccidulinae
Tetrabrachinae (\u003d Lithophilinae) - sometimes included in Coccidulinae
Scymninae
Chilocorinae
Coccinellinae
Epilachninae
The Coccinellid species found on the territory of the former USSR belong to 11 tribes and 44 genera (Yablokov-Khnzoryan, 1983).

Everyone knows such an insect as a ladybug. Each of us held this beetle in the palm of our hand and with curiosity counted the number of points on its back. Remember how in childhood we thought, how many dots - so many years and the ladybug, how we hummed rhymes, begging to fly to heaven ... The insect ladybug evokes joyful and enthusiastic memories from childhood. Below you will find a photo and description of a ladybug, you can learn a lot of new and unusual things about her.

The ladybug looks very small. The dimensions of a ladybug reach a length of 4 to 9 mm. The ladybug looks recognizable, because most often it is painted red and covered with black dots. The ladybug has a convex, almost round body. The ladybug looks interesting, because there are so many small details in the structure of her body.

The ladybug insect has a head, pronotum, chest, abdomen, wings with elytra and legs. The ladybug has a small and short head, which is motionlessly connected to the pronotum. The insect has eyes and mobile antennae on its head. The ladybug beetle flies with a pair of rear wings. Ladybug's front wings are rigid elytra that protect the main wings while on the ground. The ladybug flies well and flaps its wings up to 85 times per second.

Everyone knows that a ladybug looks so bright to scare away predators. In addition to the variegated colors, the ladybug also emits a yellow liquid with a pungent specific odor. This liquid is poisonous and serves as protection against frogs, spiders and other potential enemies. The ladybug beetle releases its poisonous liquid from the joints of the legs in case of danger. Also, in case of danger, the insect can even pretend to be dead.

Of course, the red ladybug is not the only color scheme for this insect. There is a yellow ladybug, a black ladybug, and even a white ladybug. What a ladybug looks like and what color it will be depends on the type of ladybug. At the same time, young individuals have the most saturated color; in older ones, it fades over time.

The types of ladybugs are very diverse. They all have a different shape, size, color and number of points. There are even ladybugs without dots. More than four thousand species of ladybugs are known, which are united in 360 genera and are distributed in almost all parts of the world.

The most famous and common ladybug species that we are most familiar with is the seven-spotted ladybug. It has the usual red color for us, and is named so because it has exactly 7 black dots. Below in the photo you can see various types of ladybugs.

Where does the ladybug live?

The ladybug lives almost everywhere except the Arctic and Antarctic. The ladybug lives in trees, bushes and grass in different parts of the world. Most often, the ladybug lives in the steppe zone, forests, mountains and gardens. In Russia, the ladybug lives practically throughout the territory, with the exception of the extreme northern regions. Also, the ladybug lives in Europe, Asia, Japan, China, India, Mongolia, Africa, Korea and America.

How does a ladybug live?

The ladybug lives with activity from early spring to late autumn. In winter, ladybugs hide under fallen leaves, tree bark or stones, where they remain until spring. But not all ladybugs live sedentary and remain to winter where they spent the summer. Often, before the onset of cold weather, ladybugs fly.

During the periods of wintering and migration, ladybugs, usually leading a solitary lifestyle, gather together. Also, mass accumulations of this beetle are characteristic during the mating season. In spring, the ladybug wakes up very early, it is enough for her that the temperature reaches only + 10 ° C. Therefore, the ladybug can be seen one of the first after winter. Ladybugs live from 10 to 12 months and only occasionally up to 2 years. The lifespan of a ladybug depends on the availability of food.

Probably for each of us it will be a great discovery that most ladybirds are predators. Because ladybugs eat aphids. A ladybug eats about a hundred aphids a day. In addition, ladybugs eat leaf beetles, scale insects, ticks and scale insects. The ladybug larva is also predatory. Both the ladybug and its larva are very voracious.

The ladybug insect destroys various dangerous pests in huge quantities, which brings great benefits to agriculture. The seven-spotted ladybird was even specially brought to America to combat spider mites and aphids.

Of course, there are also herbivorous species of ladybirds. These ladybugs feed on plants and harm agriculture. Herbivorous ladybugs are most common in the tropics of all continents and subtropics of Southeast Asia.

In Russia, there are 3 types of ladybugs that feed on plants. The 28-point ladybug harms potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables, the alfalfa ladybug harms sugar beets and alfalfa, and the pointless ladybug harms clover and sweet clover. All other species of ladybirds that live in Russia are predators.

Ladybug larva

The mating season for ladybirds falls in mid-spring, when the insects have already gained strength after hibernation or flight. During the breeding season, the female secretes a special secret by which the male finds her. Then the female lays eggs on the plants. The ladybug chooses a place closer to the aphid colonies so that the offspring can be provided with food.

Ladybug eggs are oval-shaped, pointed grains and can be yellow, orange, or white. The female lays them on the underside of the leaves or stems of the plant. One ladybug can lay up to 400 eggs, placing them in small piles. If the female eats well, then she is able to lay up to 1,000 eggs.

After about a couple of weeks, variegated oval-shaped ladybug larvae with a bluish-gray tint appear from the laid eggs. The ladybug larva has thin bristles on the body and a peculiar pattern, which is formed by a combination of orange, yellow and white spots. After hatching, the ladybug larva eats the shell of its egg and the dead eggs. When the larva gets stronger, it begins to destroy the colonies of aphids. The voracious ladybug larva eats up to 300 aphids per day.

The ladybug will be in the larval stage for about 4-7 weeks. All this time, the ladybug larva is very mobile, because it is in constant search of food. Then the ladybug larva turns into a pupa and attaches to the plant. While developing, it begins to acquire all the characteristic features of a full-fledged insect. After about 10 days, a fully formed adult emerges from the cocoon.

It still remains a mystery why the ladybug is so called. Perhaps it was so named because the ladybug insect is able to secrete "milk" - a poisonous yellow liquid that scares off enemies. And she was probably nicknamed "God's" for her harmless character and help in preserving the harvest by destroying aphids.

The ladybug insect enjoys tremendous sympathy and respect throughout the world. In different countries, the ladybug is called differently. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the ladybug is called the "beetle of the Holy Virgin Mary". In England, USA and Australia - "lady beetle". In the countries of Latin America - "St. Anthony's ladybug". In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belarus and Ukraine, it is called "the sun". In some countries, monuments have even been erected in honor of the ladybug.

There are many beliefs and signs around this insect that portend only good events. There are many legends with the participation of a ladybug. The ladybug is considered a symbol of good luck; in ancient times, people worshiped this insect and idolized it. The image of this beetle on clothes or various decorations were considered a talisman. In some cultures, it is forbidden to harm this insect so as not to attract trouble.

The ancient Slavs considered the ladybug to be the messenger of the sun goddess. It is believed that you cannot drive away a ladybug that has sat on you, so as not to frighten off fortune. If she flew into the house, then she brings peace and harmony to it. Even the weather was predicted with her help. This is such a worldwide love for this amazing and tiny insect with a simple name, ladybug.

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Ladybugs are gardener's helpers.

These bugs, familiar to everyone from childhood, like their larvae, are natural enemies of aphids. Cute and beloved ladybugs are everyone's favorite gardeners' helpers.

In Europe, there are only 100 species of ladybirds, or coccinellids, out of 5000 representatives of this large family. Most of the ladybird species live in tropical and subtropical climates. Even the seven-spotted ladybug familiar to all of us, or seven-spotted, needs warmth. On warm days, ladybugs lead an active lifestyle - they fly faster and more. On cool days, ladybugs are less mobile.

The number, color and shape of dots on the elytra of these insects have become distinctive features of various species. The number of dots, contrary to popular belief, does not say anything about the age of the insects. Most of the ladybirds living in our latitudes feed on aphids. Others feed on coccids (scale insects and mealybugs), spider mites, and even whiteflies. Few species of ladybugs feed on plants and fungal spores. Many species other than animal food. They also use vegetable - they feast on pollen and nectar. Not all ladybugs specialize in eating various types of aphids, some feed only on certain species, so they travel a considerable distance in search of food. The availability of food and the weather significantly affect the development, growth rate and increase in the number of ladybirds.

Females reproduce only in the presence of food, then their eggs ripen. Each female lays 400 yellow eggs in groups of 10-30 on the underside of the leaf, usually next to the aphid colony. Ladybugs, feed on coccids, lay eggs under the shell of pests. The larvae hatch from the eggs after 7-10 days. The larvae are long, dark-colored. Before pupation, they go through four to five growth stages. During this period, the larvae must actively feed. After 3-6 weeks, they pupate on leaves or tree trunks. Pupae are rounded. Painted orange or black. After four to nine weeks, yellow-orange beetles with pale spots on the elytra hatch from the pupae. The complete development cycle of a ladybug lasts from one to three months. Ladybugs give from one to two generations a year.

It is best to refrain from using pest control chemicals. Adult ladybugs and their larvae are very sensitive to insecticides. In the spring, we do not spray the plants with aphid chemistry, since we deprive the adult generation of cows of the food they need to lay eggs. You can help ladybirds by growing trees and shrubs in the garden, which will be occupied by various types of aphids. In addition, ladybugs will find a good wintering place on them.

As for wintering places, then for this purpose the following may be suitable:

Hedges and brushwood heaps provide a safe wintering place. We leave in the garden until spring heaps of fallen leaves and brushwood. Dry rocky walls and old trees with deep crevices in the bark are ideal places for ladybirds to winter. In barns, woodpiles and birdhouses, as well as in the walls of wooden houses, a whole colony of ladybirds can winter. Ladybugs can hibernate in a piece of wood with suitable holes drilled in it, or in bundles of reed stalks. You can also help ladybugs, as they are among the worst natural enemies of aphids and some other pests. They do not have special devices for hunting aphids, therefore, after eating pests, they move to another plant in search of food. Ladybugs fly around many plants in a day. Finding food takes a lot of their energy. Adult beetles (seven-spotted ladybugs) eat up to 150 aphids per day, and smaller species - about 60. The seven-spotted ladybug larva eats at least 800 aphids for further development before pupation.

If suddenly you find in your garden a more different ladybug from what you are used to observing, then here is a short description of the types of cows:

Ocellated ladybird - length 8-10mm, yellow-red elytra with 20 black dots with light edges, found in forests, usually in pine forests (feeds on lice), as well as garden trees and shrubs.

De-spotted ladybird - length 3.5-5 mm, elytra are dark red or dark brown, each with five black dots, the most numerous of the species that prey on aphids in meadows and among trees or shrubs.

Ladybug fourteen-point - length 3.5-4.5 mm, over 100 different shapes, elytra are red or yellow with 14 dark wheelbarrows, hunts for different types of aphids.

Dot ladybird - length 1.3-1.5 mm, black hairy elytra, yellow legs and antennae, lives on deciduous and fruit trees, feeds on spider mites.

Ladybug 22-point - length 3-4.5 mm, long lemon-yellow beetle with 22 black dots, does not eat aphids, feeds on mealy mushrooms on trees, shrubs, meadow plants and grapes e.

Dotted ladybird - length 7-9 mm, black elytra, decorated with numerous yellow spots. It feeds on aphids that attack conifers.

Here is such a big family of ladybirds, we take care of them and feed them to aphids. Good luck to you.

Ladybugs (Latin Coccinellidae) are a family of beetles, characterized in that their tarsi seem to be three-segmented, since the third, very small segment, together with half of the fourth, is hidden in the groove of the two-lobed second segment. The body of a ladybug is hemispherical or ovoid, more or less convex. The head is short with 11-segmented antennae attached to the sides of the front edge of the head and can bend under the head. The abdomen consists of 5 free segments.

Its elytra are yellow-red, and they have black spots. This bug is not timid, he is in no hurry and is not afraid of anyone. Put your finger on him

will crawl onto him. You hold your finger upright and the bug will climb onto its tip. He will open the elytra, pull the wings out from under them and spread them ...

If the cow is roughly pushed, she will tighten her antennae, legs and freeze. It will lie down for a minute or two as if dead, and then it will crawl. They say that the beetle pretends to be dead: it tries to deceive the enemy. An insect cannot pretend, it is not a human being. But many beetles and other insects sometimes suddenly seem to "faint".

With strong, and most importantly, sudden external irritation, usually with a jolt, some insects experience a so-called nervous shock. Its outward sign: the insect becomes motionless, as if "dies". The "shock" will end, the irritated nervous apparatus will calm down, and the insect will "come to its senses": it will wake up, crawl. Insects have many enemies. You need to defend yourself from them. Some are saved by a quick run, who are hiding, who bites painfully, who stings, who ... There are many different ways of self-defense. "Die" is one of them. A stationary insect is more difficult to notice, and not every bird will be interested in "dead" prey. Tucking its legs, the dead beetle falls from a branch or leaf down and thereby hides from the enemy: where is there to look for a small fallen beetle in the grass!

It turned out that it can be profitable to "rip off". And this habit is a painful phenomenon! - in some insects it has become entrenched, has become a way of self-defense.

There is no special need for the cow to “pretend to be dead,” there is no need to deceive the enemy. Whether she is alive or dead, rarely does anyone try to eat her.

Squeeze the cow slightly between your fingers. Look at them now: the fingers are stained with yellow liquid. This is blood. As soon as the cow tightens its legs, drops of blood emerge from the joints, from the “knees”: blood drops are the protection of the beetle.

Smell a finger stained with yellow cow blood. The smell is unpleasant. If you pick up more yellow liquid on your finger, lick it: there is nothing dangerous in this. Taste it and you will find out what a cow's blood tastes like.

A pungent taste, and even an unpleasant smell ... She is disgusting, this yellow blood.

A bird that has grabbed a cow cleans its beak for a long time. At this time she looks as if she says: "Well, the nasty stuff got into my mouth!"

You can't remember a gray bug: you never know their gray ones. Everyone knows this for himself: there are many different beetles, but we remember only a few. We know the cow. Why? The coloring is easy to remember.

The same is true for a bird: it will try the cow once, another - and no longer touch it. Will remember the tasteless bug.

The bright color of the ladybug is like a sign. And it is written on this sign: "Don't touch me, it will be bad."

Unpleasant taste and noticeable coloration do not save the cows from all enemies. They are grabbed by large predatory flies - ktyri, some birds eat. But still they are protected from the attacks of most birds, and this is already enough.

The droplets of blood protruding on the legs of the beetle are popularly called "milk". Therefore, the beetle received the nickname "cow". These beetles are kind of like a cow's color in color: red (red) with black or white, black with red, yellow. They are also called "the sun": round and red. True, this "sun" turns out to be very spotty.

Different peoples have different names for the cow, but everywhere her name is affectionate. People love this bug ... For what? For a calm character, probably.

Appearances are often deceiving. So it is with the ladybug. To look at her is a quiet one. It would seem, who will she offend? But in fact, it is a predator.

The cow is very voracious. Her food is aphids. It is not difficult to find aphids: wherever they are not! On an apple tree, on a dog rose, on cabbage, on hops, but you never know what plants aphids sit on! Sometimes there are so many of them that the entire stem is covered. They pierce the skin of the plant with their proboscis, aphids suck, pull juices from it.

A ladybird appears and eats them one by one. She needs a lot of food: she eats a hundred, or even more, aphids a day. Well, isn't this small, so modest-looking bug, a glutton!

One of our most common cows is a seven-spotted one. It was named so because there are seven black dots on its yellow-red elytra: three on each elytra and one common at the seam between them. She is one of the largest cows: almost with a good pea, or rather, with her half.

You can see it in spring, summer and autumn. In spring, there are few cows, in the second half of summer there are much more, sometimes - a lot.

After the snow melts, the ladybird does not immediately crawl out of her winter shelter. There’s no need to rush it: there’s no food yet.

Spring days run one after another, buds swell, aphids hatch from winter eggs. A few more days, and young tlinks appear. There is food for the cows.

Viburnum and rose hips were already in full bloom when the cows began to lay their eggs. Bunch after bunch of these oblong yellow testicles appeared on the underside of the leaves. Every day the female laid a few eggs: when a dozen, when fifty. And so many days. In total, the female can lay more than a thousand eggs, and there are such fertile eggs that they lay even more than two thousand.

The eggs seem to stand on the leaves: the ladybird sticks them upright to the surface of the leaf. After five to fourteen days, depending on the weather, the larvae appear.

The earliest piles of eggs began to turn gray, a sign that larvae were about to hatch. It is known that in many cow eggs the embryo does not develop at all; in many, the larva cannot emerge from the egg. High fertility saves the cow: if only a couple out of hundreds of her children survive and lay eggs, then the total number of cows will not decrease: two dead parents will be replaced by two children. This means that the species "seven-spotted ladybug" will exist, and not even just exist, but flourish.

The larvae appeared. Tiny, they were not slow to show their habits: first they ate the shells from eggs and undeveloped eggs. This food was enough for them for a short time, and they crawled from their native leaf in all directions. We went to look for prey - aphids.

The larvae of cows, even the youngest, eat caterpillars, midges, mosquitoes, cabbage eggs, and, on occasion, their sisters. They are ready to eat any small insect, it would be soft and tender enough, and the larvae eat aphids in hundreds.

Long-legged, slate-gray, they nimbly run through the plants, looking for food. Crawling and running, they stick out their legs strongly, and therefore look not only very large, but also not entirely pleasant. They have black warts on their backs, and besides them - several bright orange spots. The molting larva is an easy prey. And those who have not yet begun to molt or who have already grown stronger after molting can attack the molting ones and eat them.

During pupation, the larvae find suitable places on the underside of the leaf and, having secreted a sticky liquid, attach to it with their rear end.

Then the larva sheds the last skin, moves to the leaf and remains there, covering the rear end of the pupa.

At first, the one-color, yellow pupa gradually darkens, becomes covered with bright spots. When completely colored, it looks very mottled: yellow, orange and dark spots make it bright and variegated. Smooth and variegated, it did not at all look like a future beetle. The chrysalis hangs openly. True, it is not immediately striking, since it is located on the underside of the sheet.

The life of the pupa is short: only about a week.

The cow, emerging from the pupa, has an almost black head, chest and legs, on the pronotum there are usual white spots. Elytra are pale, almost white with a slightly pinkish tinge. There is not a single speck on them. She sits completely motionless on the doll's skin. The cow's elytra darken and grow stronger very slowly. Black dots on them begin to appear when the elytra are completely pale. First, a common point appears on the seam, behind the shield, and almost simultaneously with it - the most posterior point on the elytra. The last is the anterior lateral point. Dark spots are slightly outlined against a pale background, gradually darken and become more and more distinct. Little by little, the background became brighter: the elytra are not only stained, but also hardened. However, if you frighten off a ladybird that has just emerged from the pupa, which has not yet appeared spots, it will remain for life without dots and with a dull-pale coloration of the elytra. All the spots have already appeared - they will all be. Only a part of them has appeared - you will not wait for the rest.

The first meal of the cow is the pupa's skin. Having eaten it, it crawls away in search of food.

Predatory bugs - beetles and larvae - exterminate many aphids and their relatives, even less mobile scale insects and scale insects.

Catch the cows and let them out on the aphids. They will quickly clear the plants of them.

Tangerines and other citrus fruits, apple trees, pears, plums, and the tea bush have the most dangerous enemies in the south: various types of scale insects and scale insects. It is difficult to fight them with the help of all kinds of poisons, and chemistry does little to help the gardener here. Besides, poisons are harmful. The cows turned out to be excellent protectors of the tea bush, tangerines and apple trees. Different types of bugs and scale insects are also attacked by different types of ladybirds: some are local, others are brought from distant countries. Ladybugs guard us tangerines and a tea bush on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus: the Australian Rhodolian ladybird guards the tangerines, the local hiperaspis ladybug protects the tea bushes.

The seven-spot ladybug has been known to everyone since childhood. Many kids are not afraid of this insect. They come up with many fairy tales and funny rhymes about him. This species was first described in 1758. This red insect, according to the observations of entomologists, is of great benefit to people. It destroys harmful insects that damage plants in gardens and vegetable gardens.

Where does this insect live?

Of all the species, the most famous is the seven-point ladybug. It can be found in all European countries except the northern zones. In addition, this bug is found in North Africa and even in Japan.

But in North America, the insect could not bring much benefit. Despite the fact that it was brought to the continent, the red ladybug could not take root. There are only a few species left in North America that are not producing the desired results.

This insect prefers to live in a grassy grove, as well as in forest plantations, meadows, fields, plains and ravines. It is during the autumn period that ladybugs form large column flocks. The number of accumulated insects reaches several thousand.

Description of this species, developmental features

Initially, the ladybug looks like a larva, the size of which does not exceed 1 mm. It only takes her one month to move to a new level of development.

Then it already has a size of 8 to 10 mm. The body of the larva is usually gray, but the head is yellow. The same color and spots on the sides of this insect. The body has segments on which black spines with hairs can be seen.

In order to get food, such a larva can climb to a height of 12 m. During the day, to be full, it needs to consume about 100 adult aphids or 300 of its larvae. A month later, the larva enters the pupal stage. It takes about 12 days for a ladybug to fully develop and mature. But it all depends on the temperature of the air: the warmer it is, the faster an adult ladybug will turn out of the pupa.

Description of an adult

The body, wings and abdomen of an adult insect are black. The wings are mainly red or orange with specks characteristic of this insect (7 dots). For this reason, the seven-spot ladybug was named so. Three points are on one red wing, and the same number on the second. But the 7th speck can be seen near the beetle's head.

Adult ladybugs begin to appear on the street in the first half of June, when it starts to get warm. In places where heat comes faster, ladybirds can be found in May.

They eat aphids and can eat up to 60 adult pests during the day. A ladybug lives from several months to two years. The description of the larvae indicates that they eat far more aphids than adults to grow and develop quickly.

Reproduction

A female ladybug can lay about 1000 eggs throughout her life stage.

The eggs of these insects are oval. They are up to 1.2 mm in size. The color of the laid testicles is orange. The masonry shape generally looks like a small pile. An adult female can lay 20 to 90 small testicles at a time. Basically, such masonry is located in safe places, that is, under leaves, blades of grass, at the base of the branches.

A large number of ladybirds can be observed precisely at the end of summer, when two generations of beetles have already hatched and developed. The larvae do not hibernate, since only adults can survive this period.

What are the different types of ladybugs?

More than 4 thousand types are known. Ladybird species are divided into 7 subfamilies. Of these, the most interesting and popular types are distinguished:

Ladybug 2-point;

7-point;

12-point ladybug;

13-point;

14-point ladybug;

17-point ladybug;

Asian ladybug.

What does this insect eat and what benefits does it bring to humans?

The seven-spot ladybug is a predator. Moreover, at any stage of its development, it feeds exclusively on other bugs. Basically, it eats various types of aphids, which lives on all kinds of plants and trees. In addition, the bug eats the eggs of other insects: etc.

Such a beetle can be most often observed on fruit trees, currant bushes, as well as on pine, aspen and bird cherry. The presence of such plants in the regions of our country indicates a large number of these insects.

What do gardeners think about the seven-point ladybug? How to attract this insect?

Is the seven-spotted ladybug a pest or not? Many gardeners will, of course, say no. Thanks to this small insect, a significant amount of the crop is preserved. Aphids, which eat and harm many plants, are the ladybug's most important food source.

Those people who prefer not to use chemical compositions for the destruction of pests for their plants believe that the ladybug will be the best helper. But in order for the benefits of this insect to be more tangible, on your site you need to maintain appropriate conditions for the comfortable life of these red insects. To do this, do not destroy all the aphids in the spring, and especially resort to harmful chemicals, because then the ladybug will not fly. It is better to leave some aphids so that our insect can feed itself. This will attract ladybugs, and they will stay in your area for a long time, helping to fight numerous pests.

Conclusion

Now you know what the seven-spot ladybug is, how it looks, develops, what it feeds on. It turns out that such a small bug can be of immense benefit! In order to attract him to your garden or garden, you do not need to do anything special - you just need to allow natural processes to flow naturally. Remember that in nature everything is interconnected, so it is important to maintain this common cycle. It is also worth thinking about completely abandoning the use of all kinds of chemicals to protect the crop. Nature can take care of itself, you just need to help her a little!

Later it turned out that there are more than 1000 species of ladybirds (Latin Coccinellidae) in the world. They live in different places: some liked the plants on which aphids are found (these are probably the laziest, or better to say, pragmatic - food is always nearby), others have looked after the wild grasses of indescribable beauty for themselves, while others liked the meadows with a view on the stream, some preferred to sit on aquatic plants altogether.

The most common species, it turns out, is the seven-spotted ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata). Its black breast is decorated with a whitish spot in the anterior corner, on the red elytra there are seven black dots (three on each elytron and one common scutellum). It is found in Europe, North Africa, Asia and feeds on aphids.

This is what a ladybug with two dots (Adalia bipunctata) looks like.

It is curious that this particular ladybug was approved as the national insect of Latvia in 1991 by the Society of Entomologists of Latvia. She is useful, slow by nature, but this does not prevent her from defending herself well - it is thanks to her appearance and behavior that she is so loved in Latvia. In Latvian, she is called marite, this is the name of the ancient Latvian deity Mara, who embodies earthly strength.

And so - with 22 points (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata).

Recently I read about an amazing ladybird (Ailocaria hexaspilota Hope), the design on the elytra of which is indeed worthy of surprise and philosophical treatises. This type of ladybug can be found here only in the south of the Far East. She first lives on bird cherry, and by the end of May she moves to Manchurian nut. Loves to eat leaf beetles. It also surprises with the fact that flocks of amazing cows accumulate during the wintering period. Imagine what a beauty it turns out!

No matter how many dots decorate the back of a ladybug, it is beautiful to the envy of all insects and to the delight of people. Let's pay attention to these wonderful creatures!

Once a familiar artist who took my "painting talents" under his wing insisted that six points must be drawn on the ladybug's back. Even at that moment, I guessed that this was not entirely true. In childhood, we even believed that the number of dots on the wings indicates the age of the ladybird.

Later it turned out that there are more than 1000 species of ladybirds (Latin Coccinellidae) in the world.

They live in different places: some liked the plants on which aphids are found (these are probably the laziest, or better to say, pragmatic - food is always nearby), others have looked after the wild grasses of indescribable beauty for themselves, while others liked the meadows with a view on the stream, some preferred to sit on aquatic plants altogether.

With seven points.

The most common species, it turns out, is the seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). Its black breast is decorated with a whitish spot in the anterior corner, on the red elytra there are seven black dots (three on each elytron and one common scutellum). It is found in Europe, North Africa, Asia and feeds on aphids.

According to the atlas of ladybugs, you may encounter a ladybug with the number of specks from two to twenty-six.

This is what a ladybug with two dots (Adalia bipunctata) looks like.

Recently I read about an amazing ladybird (Ailocaria hexaspilota Hope), the design on the elytra of which is indeed worthy of surprise and philosophical treatises.

This type of ladybug can be found here only in the south of the Far East. She first lives on bird cherry, and by the end of May she moves to Manchurian nut. Loves to eat leaf beetles. It also surprises with the fact that flocks of amazing cows accumulate during the wintering period. Imagine what a beauty it turns out!

No matter how many dots decorate the back of a ladybug, it is beautiful to the envy of all insects and to the delight of people. Let's pay attention to these wonderful creatures! To find the answer to your question, use the form -

Beetles from the ladybug family are clearly visible on leaves, flowers and grass. Their bulging red and black bodies flicker among the greenery of parks, orchards and vegetable gardens. The attractive coloration of the insect is actually warning. In case of danger, the beetle releases a poisonous liquid. It is not harmful to humans, and birds do not risk hunting for small bugs. Attentive lovers of fauna notice that the pattern on the back of ladybugs differs in the number of dots. The number of black specks on the elytra ranges from 2 to 28. The seven-spotted ladybird is the most common species found in parks, fields and gardens.

Morphological description

The seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinellaseptempunctata) is a species found throughout Eurasia. This species is a frequent visitor to gardens and orchards. Insects live wherever there is food for them - aphid colonies. The body shape of the imago is half a sphere. Convex hard elytra of bright red color. The most intense color in young adults, with age, it fades. Black dots are distributed in 3 on each elytra and one common, located near the scutellum. The length of the imago is 7-8 mm.

Interesting fact. The legend of the origin of the name of the insect says that it was sent in response to prayers for help in the fight against pests. The seven dots symbolize the joy and sorrow of the Virgin Mary.

The small head is fixedly attached to the prothorax. The eyes are compound, faceted, of medium size. The head, chest and lower torso are black. Convex transverse pronotum with two white spots. Antennae are black, clavate. The olfactory organ is flexible and mobile. The hind wings are well developed, darkened. Thanks to them, adults fly long distances. Three pairs of legs with claws and bristles allow it to move over the grass and stems, and crawl along a vertical surface.

Insects have developed several defense mechanisms. In addition to the warning coloration, the cows pretend to be dead. They press their limbs to the body, fall and freeze. One of the ways to scare off the main enemies (spiders, large insects) is to release a pungent-smelling liquid from the joints of the legs.

Spread

Coccinellaseptempunctata is found in the steppe zone of Russia, Siberia, Primorsky Territory. The insect lives in gardens and parks in Europe, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Mongolia, China and Korea. A popular species found in India and North Africa.

Interesting fact. To control the aphid population, the seven-spotted ladybird was imported into the United States. The insect is poorly acclimatized in North America. The beetle has taken root only in a few states: Ohio, Tennessee, Massachusetts, New Hampshire.

Lifestyle and reproduction

Insects live apart. They are collected in groups only during the breeding and wintering periods. The mating period of ladybirds is in late spring and early summer. It is important for the female to have an adequate supply of nutrients necessary for the formation of offspring. If she is not fed enough, then she avoids mating. The male is looking for a partner for the released pheromones.

The fertilized female makes clutches on the lower part of the leaves. The location is chosen near the aphid colony. The eggs are orange, elongated. Each clutch contains up to 50 pieces. The eggs are rather large, 1.2 mm long, and are fixed in an upright position. In total, the female lays 250-1000 eggs during her life.

The development time of the embryo depends on the temperature - at 15 ° it is 4 days, at 30 ° - 2 days. The size of the larva at birth is only 1 mm. Egg shells and dead embryos become her first food. Young larvae suck liquid from aphids. As they grow older, they eat prey whole. After a month of active nutrition, it grows to a length of 8-10 mm.

The elongated segmented body is dark gray. The head is yellow; there are yellow spots on the sides of the thoracic region and abdomen. The body of the larva is covered with outgrowths ending in black hairs. Movable limbs provide mobility. The voracious larva actively hunts aphids and eats their eggs. The developmental period includes the change of four instars and three molts. Then comes the pupal stage.

Interesting fact. In 1976 in England there was an outbreak of mass breeding of ladybirds. The insects did not have enough food, they attacked everything. Cases of human bites have been recorded, but they do not pose a danger.

Before pupation, the fourth instar larva starves for 24 hours. With the tip of the abdomen, it attaches to the plant and pupates. The pupa is orange with black spots. The stage takes 8-12 days, with high temperatures it passes faster. The pupal membrane is torn along the back. A young seven-spotted ladybug appears with soft elytral covers. Her body is unpainted. Complete pigmentation takes about a week.

Close view

The two-point ladybug lives in Russia and throughout Central and Western Europe. The modest body size of 5 mm does not prevent the beetle from being an active aphid exterminator in fields, gardens and parks. The insect was introduced to Australia for pest control. Ladybugs come in light and dark shapes. The first is red or red, the second is black with red spots. The species is a well-known entomophage on fruit trees. Beetles prefer aphids that live on apple trees, plums and peaches.

In the middle of summer, two-spotted ladybugs spread over other plants. They can be found on cereals, grass, vegetables. Fertile females lay up to 600 eggs. 2-3 generations are replaced per year.

Interesting fact. For two-point ladybirds, an abnormal sex ratio is characteristic. In some colonies, the number of females is 70-80%.

Ladybug pest or helper

There are more than 4,000 species of ladybugs in the world. With rare exceptions, they are all predators. But some species of insects feed on plants, causing damage to agriculture. Phytophages prefer to settle in the tropics, in Russia they meet 3 herbivorous species: potato or 28-point ladybird, alfalfa and pointless ladybird. Is the seven-spot ladybug a pest or not? You can answer unequivocally - no. The beetle benefits gardeners by keeping aphids, scale insects, whiteflies and spider mites under control. 60-100 aphids are destroyed per day.

Information. Ladybugs are specially bred and used in the fight against pests in the fields. They are dumped into the centers of the spread of aphids with the help of aircraft.

Pest hunting is active from spring to autumn. The life span of an insect depends on the amount of food, on average it is 3-4 months, but with good nutrition and favorable conditions, it increases to 1 year. For wintering, beetles gather in numerous groups. They hide from the cold under plant debris, in the cracks of stumps, under stones.

Natural enemies