BTN: Ladybug life cycle

SUBJECTS:  Science

YEARS:  F–2, 3–4, 5–6

A ladybird lays around 40 eggs at a time.

These hatch into larvae within about a week. Larvae are much smaller, longer, thinner and spikier than adult ladybirds.

Larvae spend a month or so eating vast numbers of aphids, shedding layers of skin until they are ready to go into a pupa. In this sleeping bag of sorts, they spend a fortnight in metamorphosis, or transformation.

A fully formed ladybird emerges from its pupa to take on the world. For a good two months, anyway. But what a two-months!

Things to think about

1. 1.Did you know what ladybirds sometimes produce infertile eggs? Why might they do this? (Hint: larvae are known for their appetites.)

View the full Ladybird Heroes collection

Whether you call it a ladybird, ladybug or ladybeetle, this multi-coloured minibeast is a powerful part of our ecosystem. Find out just how lucky we are to have these speckled spring species in our gardens with this collection of ABC resources.

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