Ladybug Facts

About the ladybug

More than 6,000 species live around the world in many habitats. In North America people say ladybug, while the UK, Australia and other English-speaking places say ladybird, and scientists prefer lady beetle to avoid confusion with true bugs. Those bold colors warn predators that the beetle tastes bad. Most species hunt aphids and scale insects, though some eat plants or fungi.

Ladybugs breed in spring and summer in temperate areas and during the wet season in the tropics. Predatory species often lay eggs next to prey colonies so the larvae have food. They grow from larva to pupa to adult, rest through winter or the dry season and migrate between resting and breeding sites. Farmers welcome species that eat pests, though a few attack crops or invade homes in winter.

Did you know?

• The lady in the name ladybug is Mary, mother of Jesus.
• Some ladybug species were introduced to new regions to control crop pests.
• The invasive Harmonia axyridis can threaten native ladybug species.