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The tiny ladybird...
It is a fact that bugs and beetles send shivers down one’s spine, but the tiny red-coloured beetle — the ladybird — is a pleasant sight to behold.
Children find its colour and pattern fascinating. They squeal with delight at finding the little ladybird delicately perched upon a leafy stem.
The colourful ladybird is a member of the beetle family. The beetles form the group Coleoptera, and there are more than 330,000 different species.
The name Coleoptera comes from two Greek words meaning ‘sheath-wing’. It was given to beetles because their front wings (called ‘elytra’) are hard and leathery, and form a protection for the thin hind wings which are used for flying.
Did you know that there are more than 50 species of ladybird in Europe? The ladybird has antennae and six legs. It varies greatly in size, colour and pattern. There is a 2-spot ladybird, 7-spot ladybird and even a 14-spot ladybird.
Their bright colour, though the very opposite of camouflage, protects them. Birds find that ladybirds taste unpleasant and are able to avoid them because of their conspicuous colour.
You might ask: how do ladybirds make themselves useful? Gardeners will tell you that they are good pest controllers and therefore useful in the garden. These wee bugs eat greenfly and other insects that are harmful to plants. They are splendid guardians of rose bushes.
Did you know that, besides being red, ladybirds can also be black in colour, with red spots?
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