“Ladybug eggs -the ‘golden’ garden eggs

June 10, 2009 at 7:34 pm (bees/insects)
Tags: animal movements, animals, bees/insects, children, ecosystems in crisis, gardening, go organic, insects, saving the biodiversity of planet, wildlife, working together

The golden treasure left by ladybugs

There can be a golden treasure in the gardens that ladybugs lay their eggs in. Ladybugs lay 10 to 50 tiny, yellow, oval-shaped eggs in upright clusters. These tiniest of eggs will hatch in about 4 to 10 days depending on the temperature and the variety of beetle.

When the ladybug larvae emerge from their eggs they are so incredibly small and fragile way to delicate to touch. Usually the first food they eat is the egg case from which they hatched. They are so hungry now that they become eating machines and will devour everything edible in their path even their own siblings.

After about two days the larvae will begin eating aphids, because their egg cases have dried out and they are in need of high protein meals. After about four days the larvae will have grown from eating so much that they will have outgrown their skin and will shed it for a larger larval skin or exoskeleton.

This process of eating and growing is repeated 5 to 7 times before it begins to change or being its’ metamorphosis into an adult beetle or ladybug as we know them. This final change happens during its’ 10th to the 14th day of life. The larva will climb up on some solid branch, twig, plant or piece of wood and begin the final change to the adult beetle. In other words, a lot of varying factors.

When the adult ladybug emerges from the pupa, it is in a very vulnerable state. The new fully grown ladybug’s body is very soft and moist from being inside the warm and cozy pupal case so the new exoskeleton still must dry and harden. The colors and spots look duller. When it has dried the colors become brighter. The color also tends to, darken with age.
Now the ladybug can fly off to find her own aphids. It will live, mate and finally lay its’ “golden eggs”in the canopy of trees or on garden plants and flowers or farmers crops especially where aphids are in abundance.
Avoid traditional pesticides to keep your golden treasures alive and thriving.
For more ladybug information do a search here

Resources
Excerpts courtesy of http://www.ladybuglady.com/LadybugsFAQ.htm
Excerpts courtesy of http://www.backyardbird.com/ladybugs1.html

Video courtesy of youtube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zrDGh2DIRU