ladybugs

CLASSROOM PROJECTS
LADYBUGS
Our Ladybugs
Links

The labybug, like all beetles, undergoes a complete metamorphosis, 1.egg 2. larva 3. pupa 4. adult. The life cycle of the ladybug is between four to six weeks. In the spring the female adults lay a mass of eggs The eggs hatch in two to five days.

The larvae that hatches from the egg is small and long and has 6 legs. The newly hatched larvae feed on aphids for up to three weeks. As it rapidly grows, the larva molts (sheds its skin) several times. After reaching full size, the larvae attaches itself to a plant leaf or stem.

The larval skin then splits down the back, exposing the pupa. and then they enter the pupa stage. The pupa is about the size of the adult but is all wrapped up, protecting the ladybug while the it undergoes metamorphosis into its adult stage.

The adult ladybug emerges about a week later. However, they usually do not have their spots for their first 24 hours of adulthood. There may be as many as six generations of ladybugs hatched in a year.

April 22
Our ladybug larvae have arrived. They are very tiny.

April 25
The larvae are growing larger every day.

April 28
The larvae keep growing and soon will go into the pupa stage.

May 1
The larvae have gone into the pupa stage.

May 5
Our ladybugs started to emerge today. We will feed them soaked raisins for five days and then release them.

May 11
We released our ladybugs today.

LINKS

Lady Bug Beetles

http://www.no-pest.com/LadybugBeetles.htm

Ladybug or Ladybird Beetles
http://insected.arizona.edu/ladyinfo.htm

Lady Beetles
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/ladybintro.html

Ladybug Thematic Unit
http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/schoolyardscience.htm

Ladybug photos by Steve A. Marshall
http://www.uoguelph.ca/%7Esamarsha/lady-beetles.htm

Ladybugs
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/8484/ladybugs.htm

Lady Beetles
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/lady/

Lady Beetles - Entomology Notes
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/MES/notes/entnotes6.html

Ladybird Beetles
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/%7Eohioline/hyg-fact/2000/2002.html

Ladybugs from Enchanted Software
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/insects/Ladybug.shtml

Ladybugs
http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/ladybugs.htm

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