What Are Interesting Facts About Ladybugs?

Photo: the_tahoe_guy / Flickr
Photo: the_tahoe_guy / Flickr

Ladybugs, which are also known as ladybird beetles or lady beetles, are beloved by gardeners for their capacity to eat aphids.

  • The ladybug is not a true bug, but is instead a beetle.
  • A single ladybug may consume up to 5,000 aphids, a common garden pest, throughout the course of its life.
  • The ladybug is known by its distinctive spots and its oval-shaped body that may be red, orange, pink, black or yellow.

  • The coloring of the bug is an adaption that discourages predators from eating it.
  • When the bug is disturbed, a noxious fluid seeps from its joints, another defense that serves to ward off predators.