So you clicked on a ladybug.....
Here are some quick facts suitable for children's questions about an insect favourite.Ladybugs are beetles which are an insect.
They are usually less than 7 mm long [1/4“].
There are nearly 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs worldwide.
About 400 ladybug species live in North America.
The female ladybug is usually larger than the male.
A female ladybug will lay more than 1000 eggs in her lifetime.
The life cycle of the average ladybug is between four to six weeks.
Some species can live for up to 2-3 years.
As many as six generations of ladybugs may hatch in a year.
Most of them have red, orange, or yellow wing covers and black spots
Some are black with red spots.
Some have no spots at all!
The spots on a ladybug fade as the ladybug gets older. .
They usually do not have their spots for their first 24 hours of adulthood.
The number of spots helps to identify the species of ladybug.
A hard wing cover protects the ladybug's fragile wings.
A ladybug beats its wings 85 times a second when it flies.
Ladybugs won't fly if the temperature is below 13 degrees Celsius [55 F].
The ladybug's wings are so thin that you can see through them.
There are special organs on ladybug’s feet to help them smell.
The ladybug uses its antennae to touch, smell and taste.
They are carnivores.
Ladybugs are found where insect pest populations are high.
Aphids are a ladybug's favorite food.
Ladybugs chew from side to side and not up and down like manmals do.
During hibernation, ladybugs feed on their stored fat.
They bite in self defense but won't hurt you.
Ladybugs are not poisonous to humans.
Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes terrible so predators won't eat them.
