Wildlife Encounters: Ladybug is cutie of the insect world

Love them or hate them, you have to admit ladybugs sure are cute. When you think of ladybugs you picture a beetle-like insect colored bright red with black spots. These spotted ladybugs are the most well-known but not all ladybugs have spots. Not all ladybugs are red either. Several species of ladybugs sport their own color patterns. Ladybugs with black spots are believed to be bright red in color to warn predators not to eat them. They are a little poisonous to animals but not to humans. Their toxic effect on animals that eat them means the animals won’t do it a second time after getting sick from eating a ladybug.

Ladybugs live around gardens and everywhere there is plant life. They feed on tiny insects that feed off the plants.

There are many myths about ladybugs and their spots, including:

n If a ladybug lands on you, the number of spots determines how many children you will have.

n Many farmers believe the spots on a ladybug can tell them how good the harvest will be next year.

n Count their spots and you will receive that amount of money that day in your travels.

A lady bug once landed on my hand with 19 spots. Hard to believe there could be that many spots on such a small insect.

The spots are what make them the cutest beetle in the world.

Ladybugs can help your gardens. Farmers began buying and raising ladybugs to control pests on their farms. Smaller gardens benefit from ladybugs because they keep plants healthy organically — without pesticides.

Ladybugs, like all beetles, go through a complete metamorphosis during the life cycle. Ladybugs generally live in fields, grasslands and gardens, although some get into homes looking to hibernate somewhere warm with indoors plants to provide food.

A great family activity you would be exploring Gasparilla Island looking for ladybugs. Little insect cages can be purchased for ladybug homes. Pet ladybugs will eat nectar and raisins. Keep moist foliage in their cages daily to survive.