Ladybug - benefits and harm for plants and humans

During its life, one ladybug can eat about a thousand garden pests. But nutrition depends on their type:

• 68% (Scymnus, Platynaspini, Coccidulini, Coccinellini) feed on aphids (Aphidoidea);
• 18% (Nephus, Hyperaspini, Noviini) feed on a variety of scaly insects (Coccoidea), with some ladybugs feeding on both leaf and scale insects;
• Others eat mites (Stethorus pusillus), moths (Clitostethus arcuatus) or leaf fleas (Calvia quatuordecimguttata);
• The beetle family Halyziini feeds on ascomycetes (Ascomycota) and flowering plants.

They consume both adult insects and their larvae. Cannibalism sometimes occurs in predatory species of cows.

It has been documented that adult beetles can consume plant pollen.

Ladybug eats aphids

History of the name

If we consider the Latin name of the insect, in translation it means “scarlet”, which corresponds to the color of the bug. And the popular name appeared quite a long time ago due to sympathy for this insect. In Germany and Switzerland, the creature is called the “Virgin Mary’s bug”; in Slovenia and the Czech Republic, the insect is known as the “sun” (as many are accustomed to calling the ladybug in Russia). This creature also lives in Latin American countries, and they call it “St. Anthony’s bug.”

The origin of the domestic name ladybug is currently unknown. Some researchers believe that the bug received this name due to its ability to destroy aphids. Thus, a simple creature helps preserve huge crop plantations. It becomes clear what ladybugs eat.

Eating in the wild

Under natural conditions, insects feed on various types of aphids. This pest poses a threat to both cultivated and wild grasses, trees and shrubs. The beetle with bright dots is a real helper for gardeners. By destroying pest colonies, it makes it possible to use pesticides and insecticides in smaller quantities, and sometimes even do without chemicals. In addition to aphids, food is all insects that do not have a hard chitinous shell

:

• scale insects;
• psyllids;
• scale insects;
• ticks.

If in a particular region the population of ladybugs decreases greatly for some reason, the pests begin to multiply intensively, as the deterrent disappears. In this case, mass destruction of crops occurs. If measures are not taken in time, you may be left without the harvest of many agricultural crops. The relationships between species are of great importance to a biological system, and should not be forgotten.

The natural balance can be disrupted for other reasons, as happened in European countries. By accident, the grooved scale insect was introduced, and the number of beneficial insects turned out to be insufficient to cope with the pest. In its homeland, Australia, this species does not harm cultivated plants, since there is quite a lot of rhodolia there - ladybugs no larger than a match head. Scientists urgently had to import rhodolia from Australia. This measure helped save the orange orchards.

Of those species that feed on both plants and insects, the three most common in Russia are:

:

• Pointless. An omnivorous insect that eats both pests and sweet clover, alfalfa, clover and some other herbs.
• Coccinellid twenty-eight point. Eats aphids, mites, scale insects, scale insects, as well as plantings of cucumbers, potatoes, and tomatoes. Often found in the Far East.
• Alfalfa. It feeds on garden pests, alfalfa and sugar beet leaves.

Larvae and adults use the same food for food, but in different quantities. In 3 weeks, the larva eats up to 7 thousand aphids, and an adult ladybug eats several times more. In turn, the volume of food consumed by a herbivorous insect is several times greater than that consumed by a predator ladybird.

Basic characteristics of an insect

A ladybug is a small bug, the length of which does not exceed 10 mm (in most cases it is about 6 mm). The insect has an oval or round body shape. Some species have fine hairs on the top of their wings. The body of a ladybug consists of a head, pronotum, chest, three pairs of legs and wings. The insect has a motionless head. The ladybug has relatively large eyes and antennae that are highly flexible.

Thanks to three pairs of legs, the insect can move quite quickly on grass and ground, and a little worse on sliding surfaces. Thanks to two hind wings, ladybugs move perfectly through the air.

The insect has an excellent defense mechanism against predators (animals, other insects, birds). The bug secretes a toxic yellow liquid with an unpleasant odor. The bright colors of the ladybug, beloved by many, also scare away enemies.

Life cycle features

Adult members of the family live and winter in the open ground, hiding in dry rolled leaves or under dried blades of grass. With the onset of warmth, it is time to hatch and the beetles lay a clutch of 10-20 eggs. The clutch is built either on the bark of vertical branches, or on the inside of the leaf blade, not far from the aphid settlement. From eggs to adulthood, insects gradually go through four stages.

The larvae of these insects have a brown-gray color; as the time of pupation approaches, the color of the cover changes to pale yellow.
When a young beetle emerges from the pupa, it needs a little time for the elytra to finally acquire a scarlet color. Larvae, like adults, mainly feed on aphids; this species belongs to predatory insects.
Throughout its life cycle, a female beetle lays approximately a thousand eggs, from which, over time, a thousand young beetles will hatch, grow and give birth to a new generation.

From the laying of eggs to the emergence of an adult beetle in the summer, 40-60 days pass. The biological significance of the ladybug is difficult to overestimate: only one female beetle destroys up to four thousand aphids throughout her life, thereby saving plants that occupy half a hectare of land from destruction.

A funny bug with red wings with small dots, familiar to everyone since childhood, can destroy a little more than 150-170 leaf-sucking aphids in one day.

Important!
The larva of this beetle does not have a very attractive appearance - it is a strange creature without wings and with bright dots on its back. If you see such a monster on your loved ones or don’t rush to destroy it, soon this larva will turn into a cute colorful bug.

Habitat

What does a ladybug eat in nature? It all depends on where exactly the insect is located. These bugs feel great almost anywhere in the world. They are only absent in Antarctica. Ladybugs can be found in large numbers in America, various regions of Europe and Asia. Such insects live in all countries of the former Soviet Union. They also exist on Russian territory.

Most often, insects choose to live on plants on which a colony of aphids settles. Some species prefer to settle on reeds near water bodies or in field grasses. Almost all insects lead an isolated lifestyle. They do not like to depend on their relatives. Insects gather together only during the mating season. All types of ladybugs are heat-loving. Before the onset of winter cold, insects gather in huge flocks and fly away for the winter.

Some subspecies remain to winter in Russia. Ladybugs gather in huge communities, choosing stones and tree bark as shelter. However, insects do not live long. Under favorable conditions, their life expectancy does not exceed a year. Most often, the insect lives only a few months.

Reviews

“We have been fighting the Colorado potato beetle for a long time using various chemicals. All this helped with varying degrees of success. Then, we decided to get guinea fowls, at first we thought about turkeys, but abandoned this idea, because they need more and more frequent care. Guinea fowls are not whimsical; in addition, they cope well with the responsibility assigned to them.

“I, too, not so long ago decided to get this poultry, but no one told me that if you decide to get guinea fowl, you need to trim their flight wings, because they have not forgotten how to fly compared to chickens. Otherwise, everything is fine, these birds practically do not get sick and do not require special and constant care.”

“Poultry, of course, helps in pest control, but I prefer other methods. When planting potatoes, I usually place 1 - 2 beans in a hole. This works well to repel the Colorado potato beetle. And I use domestic birds, whether guinea fowl or chickens, as an additional means.”

Ladybug feeding

Despite its pleasant appearance, the bug is a predator in the world of insects. Almost all species of this bug eat mites and aphids; they can also eat butterfly eggs; small caterpillars are a real delicacy. If there is no alternative food, ladybugs do not disdain the eggs of the Colorado potato beetle.

There are also subspecies of this insect that feed exclusively on plant foods. The beetles' diet includes leaves, inflorescences and plant pollen. Some insects can eat even small fruits.

Is it possible to use chickens against the Colorado potato beetle?

In order to destroy the Colorado potato beetle, ordinary, well-known chickens began to destroy them, they must first be trained to do this. If this is not done, the larvae will remain on the potatoes.

In order for chickens to get used to fighting Colorado potato beetles, they need to start training them at 3-4 months of age.

The training is quite simple:

1. First you need to crush the beetle larvae and add them to the chickens' feed.
2. At the second stage. You need to add potato tubers or tops to the feed. This way, the chickens will get used to the potato smell.
3. After a week, the amount of supplements can be increased.
4. When the chickens get used to the potatoes and larvae, they can be safely released onto the site.

We suggest you read: What is the name of the medicine for lice?

Important: if a decision has been made to use poultry in pest control, then it is imperative to avoid using chemicals.

As you can see, chickens can not only be used against the Colorado potato beetle, but, most importantly, they must be accustomed to it.

Stages of ladybug development

By the fifth month of life, most insects of this species reach sexual maturity. Ladybugs actively breed already in April. The bugs gain strength after hibernation and only then begin to mate. The ladybug feeds especially intensively at this time to produce healthy offspring. Thanks to the specific aroma, the male easily finds the female. The eggs are laid near aphid colonies so that in the future the young ladybug can fully feed (what the insect eats was described above). Typically, eggs attach to the underside of plant leaves. One female can lay up to 400 eggs, then she dies.

Interaction type

Having formed into an adult, the ladybug eats up to two hundred aphid insects per day. And she does this from spring to autumn. Almost the entire daily routine of the beetle is tied to searching for and eating aphids. When the cow does not find the object of desire, it can feast on scale insects, whiteflies or spider mites.

Before the harvest period, ladybugs feed on aphids and other insects, feeding enough to lay eggs. Thus, during the period of active growth and development of the plant, the ladybug protects it from pests. For the winter, these insects climb into the mountains, hide in rock crevices and tree bark cracks and remain there until early spring.

The benefits and harms of ladybugs

These insects are quite voracious. Thanks to this property, it is possible to maintain the full development of vegetable gardens and orchards and protect them from aphid invasion. Just one ladybug larva per day can destroy more than 30 aphids. An adult bug can easily cope with a hundred or more pests. To clean up industrial areas, ladybugs are bred in special enterprises. The bug is spread throughout the fields by aviation on a huge scale.

Ladybugs, which prefer plant foods, are not at all harmless. They live mainly in Latin America, as well as in some regions of South Asia. Such insects cause enormous damage to agricultural land. Such ladybugs are capable of destroying tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, and beets.

Are you really human?

At the same time, every day she feeds on aphids. By the end of the second week, the larva fully matures and transforms into a pupa. The cocoon is usually located in an open place. Ladybugs are small insects well known for their bright colors and lack of fear of humans. By the way, the number of spots has nothing to do with the age of ladybugs, as many children, and adults too, think. In temperate zones, the lifespan of most ladybugs is about a year, but some centenarians, under favorable conditions, live up to two years.

Everyone loves ladybugs because of the spots that decorate their backs. However, these cute bugs often eat each other - and are also infected with blood-sucking mites, warns a BBC Earth correspondent.

The diets of coccinellids are also quite varied. Ladybugs with 24 spots eat plant matter.

Is there any harm

Although the benefits from the activities of beetles significantly exceed the harm they cause, it still exists.

Not everything that ladybugs eat benefits the plant world.

Since the bug is a predatory and carnivorous insect, in addition to aphids, it can also eat other insects useful for the garden.

There are several types of ladybugs that cause significant damage to crops:

Lives in hot countries (Africa, Asia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan). It is also widespread in some European countries.

It causes great damage to the crop. Our climate is not suitable for melon ladybugs due to harsh winters. - is a real “scourge of God” for plantings in the Amur region, Khabarovsk Territory and on the Sakhalin Peninsula.

In some places this bug is called the potato ladybug. This insect not only damages crops, vegetables, etc., but also spreads viral plant diseases when flying from field to field. , or multicolored Asian - aggressive and voracious creatures; farmers in North America, Western Europe and England are in a panic because of this type of beetle. In 1988, these insects were brought to North America.

With their help, they were supposed to establish biocontrol over the uncontrollably spread of aphids. But this species destroys not only aphids, but also representatives of its own species and today has become the most common species in the United States and Great Britain. Biologists in these countries are sounding the alarm - the remaining 46 species of ladybugs, which were previously ubiquitous, have almost disappeared.

Important!
A gardener who wants to preserve the population of these elegant bugs on his territory needs to remember that any treatment of the garden will lead to the death of not only harmful insects. After treatment with pesticides, pests quickly restore their numbers, but beneficial beetles reproduce more slowly.

What is the benefit

The benefits that a ladybug brings are noticeable to the naked eye, you just have to look closely, for example, at cucumbers. The reverse side of the leaf is dotted with aphids actively sucking the juice of the leaves.

If they are left alone, after four days the leaves will dry out completely and the plant will die. But now the scarlet hunters begin their work, and the cucumber plantations will be cleared of . It is the presence of these carnivorous insects that solves the problems with the destruction of aphid colonies on berry bushes, fruit trees, and. The ability to do without chemical treatments will allow you to safely eat ripe fruits and vegetables.

Some gardeners in early spring, having seen small colonies of aphids on some plants, immediately begin to resort to destroying them with pesticides. There is no need to completely destroy aphids on plants, because adult ladybugs will die without food.

With the onset of autumn, there is no need to ideally clean the garden and vegetable garden of fading plant debris, because in the absence of dry fallen leaves, empty birdhouses or piles of brushwood left for the winter, ladybugs will have nowhere to safely wait out the cold period.

Did you know?
There is such a sign that foretells imminent luck in something: if a ladybug lands on your palm, then you can expect unexpected joy and good luck. In no case do you shake off an arriving insect from your hand, so as not to shake off your luck, but wait until it flies away of its own accord.

Attracting beneficial bugs

Let's look at some of them:

1. Marigolds (calendula). This perennial herb comes from the sunflower family and is a medicinal plant. Attracts ladybugs.
2. Cornflowers. It can reach a height of 100 cm. Flowering occurs in spring or autumn.
3. Dill. An effective and unpretentious green plant.
4. Dandelion. The most common plant in Europe. Grows best in a sunny location.
5. Mint. In addition to attracting ladybugs, mint is also good for health. Usually does not require care, but must grow separately from others.
6. Coriander. Used mainly as a spice. It blooms from June to July and needs constant watering. Attracts bugs during the period of growth and flowering.
7. Cosmea. It blooms from June to September and thrives in a sunny location. It is a wonderful decoration for the garden, but for wintering it needs a warm place.
8. Ammi. An annual herbaceous plant, its height ranges from 30 to 100 cm.

Lifestyle of a dangerous pest

Their body is either transparent or takes on the color of the plant being consumed. All aphids feed on the sap of plants, destroy their foliage, interfere with its growth and development, and can infect the plant with a virus, which will destroy it (you can find out more about what aphids feed in nature here).

In addition, aphids are divided into winged and wingless. Aphids reproduce very quickly and live in large colonies. A warm and humid climate is most acceptable for them, only in it they reproduce successfully. Aphids feed on young shoots and green leaves. And their favorite shoots are viburnum, linden and plum.

Traces of their vital activity are loved by ants. They are ready to faithfully follow and protect their supplier of the delicacy. Protect from winter frosts in your home, anthill, or from attacks from ladybugs and lacewings. You can learn more about the symbiosis of ants and aphids here.

Let's discuss!

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