Hi all, have you ever wonder if ladybird is an insect?
Ladybirds
Description
Ladybirds are small beetles. They are sometimes called ladybugs, or ladybeetles. The are round shaped like a circle. Ladybirds are usually red with black spots but some are orange with black spots. They have three body parts, the head, abdomen and thorax. It is hard to see all of the body parts because the wings cover them. The outer part of the wings have covers that look like they are made of plastic. They have two tiny antennae. Like other insects, they have six legs. Ladybird legs are very small.
Diet (What They Eat)
Ladybirds are carnivorous. This means they eat other animals. Ladybirds eat small bugs called aphids. They will also eat lice and other small insects.
HabitatTrees, bushes, flower gardens, houses and grassy fields are all good habitats for the ladybird to live in. Ladybirds will live almost anywhere there are insects for them to eat.
Predators (Enemies)Small animals can get inside a ladybird and kill it. They are called Parasites. Birds will try to eat ladybirds but they taste very bad and the bird will usually spit them out. People can kill ladybirds by using insect spray in the garden.
Life cycles
Ladybirds start off as eggs sitting on a leaf. 2-5 days later they hatch into larva. The larva looks like a little caterpillar or grub. The larva is ready to start eating insects.After about three weeks as a larva they turn into a pupa. When the pupa opens up, it becomes the adult ladybird that most people recognise.
Interesting facts
There are over 5,000 types of ladybugs.Ladybirds use a stinky yellow liquid to scare off predators. The pretty bright colours are used to scare enemies away. Farmers like ladybirds because they eat the insects that are bad for the farmers crops. They are a natural way to control other insects. The male ladybird is smaller than the female.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/brandseth/ladybirds.HTM
