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One of our
delightful
Ladybug
winter
house
guests
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Ladybugs are predators. In a good way. They dine on aphids, dust mites and other harmful and unwanted creatures. Many are particularly partial to eating aphids with an individual Ladybug capable of eating upwards of 5,000 aphids in their relatively short lifetimes. Technically they are not "bugs" at all but rather a colorful "beetle."
To eat an aphid or dust mite or other nasty little creature, the Ladybug simply walks up to them and gobbles them up. No heroic swooping in and capturing acts here. They are more like colorful little microscopic Roombots, the vacuum cleaners that ramble across carpets all by themselves. Garden catalogues sell boxes of Ladybugs by the hundreds for release in the garden to help with pest control, for those unfortunate gardeners who find local Ladybugs in short supply.
Depending on the species, they will also make short work of whiteflies, mealybugs, scales, mites, bollworms, broccoli worms, tomato hornworms and cabbage moths. They will also eat the eggs of some insects such as moths, with certain species of Ladybugs even eating pollen and mildew. They can be quite resouceful, even known to "play dead" and drop in their tracks ~ to tuck their tiny little heads in and drop cold off a plant onto the ground ~ when they feel threatened.
To eat an aphid or dust mite or other nasty little creature, the Ladybug simply walks up to them and gobbles them up. No heroic swooping in and capturing acts here. They are more like colorful little microscopic Roombots, the vacuum cleaners that ramble across carpets all by themselves. Garden catalogues sell boxes of Ladybugs by the hundreds for release in the garden to help with pest control, for those unfortunate gardeners who find local Ladybugs in short supply.
Depending on the species, they will also make short work of whiteflies, mealybugs, scales, mites, bollworms, broccoli worms, tomato hornworms and cabbage moths. They will also eat the eggs of some insects such as moths, with certain species of Ladybugs even eating pollen and mildew. They can be quite resouceful, even known to "play dead" and drop in their tracks ~ to tuck their tiny little heads in and drop cold off a plant onto the ground ~ when they feel threatened.
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One of nature's most colorful beetles, images of them of one sort or another became popular for a time in home decor and accessories.
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As if that were not enough to ask of such a small delightful creature, they also are supposed to be "good luck" when one finds them in the home or especially when one lights upon your person somewhere. Some European cultures even associate the Ladybug with the Virgin Mary, reportedly due their colors and the number of their spots.
With over 5,000 species worldwide, over 400 of those individual species make their home in the Americas. We are not sure which of the 400 species this particular one is, only that she has seemingly become "friendlier" over time. This particular one has lived with us since mid-November ~ or perhaps that is only when we first noticed her being inside.
Unfortunately, a number of people think "infestation" when they find several Ladybugs in their homes over the colder months.
However the Ladybugs have only come in through a crack or crevice somewhere to take shelter and will leave the home when the weather turns suitably warm outside. If there are truly a great number of live ones inside one's home, then work to close up access areas should be done ~ as Ladybugs will be the least of what is coming into the home. The "infestation" perception from finding a few live ones usually arises because of a number of dead Ladybugs someone may find inside their home at the same given time.
With over 5,000 species worldwide, over 400 of those individual species make their home in the Americas. We are not sure which of the 400 species this particular one is, only that she has seemingly become "friendlier" over time. This particular one has lived with us since mid-November ~ or perhaps that is only when we first noticed her being inside.
Unfortunately, a number of people think "infestation" when they find several Ladybugs in their homes over the colder months.
However the Ladybugs have only come in through a crack or crevice somewhere to take shelter and will leave the home when the weather turns suitably warm outside. If there are truly a great number of live ones inside one's home, then work to close up access areas should be done ~ as Ladybugs will be the least of what is coming into the home. The "infestation" perception from finding a few live ones usually arises because of a number of dead Ladybugs someone may find inside their home at the same given time. >
These dead Ladybugs, in fact, are usually only the ones who have perished indoors from dehydration ~ dehydration being the biggest killer of Ladybugs who have found their way into a home for the colder months, once the outside temperature drops below 55 degrees. Unless one heartlessly decides to just throw them outside, where they will certainly freeze to death before being able to find proper shelter.
First observed alighting on a lampshade, then swooping onto the tabletop while the fashioning of folk art Christmas crafts was in process ~ and having learned a little about them previously ~ we placed a piece of wet paper towel near her so she could get a drink. Their mandibles are rather microscopic and they are quite able to drink water from a damp paper towel, although we usually also place a few drops of water beside the towel as well. And while we know full-well there are many males in any of the species, a Ladybug to us is invariably a "she."
First observed alighting on a lampshade, then swooping onto the tabletop while the fashioning of folk art Christmas crafts was in process ~ and having learned a little about them previously ~ we placed a piece of wet paper towel near her so she could get a drink. Their mandibles are rather microscopic and they are quite able to drink water from a damp paper towel, although we usually also place a few drops of water beside the towel as well. And while we know full-well there are many males in any of the species, a Ladybug to us is invariably a "she."
Not long afterwards we found a second one on the ceiling in the bedroom, not as large, brightly colored or highly spotted as the first one. But just as thirsty, it seemed. Even so, the second one never seemed as "friendly" (if there is such a behavior in Ladybugs) as the first one and does not make appearances in the family areas nearly as often as the first. Although the second one's colors did grow a little brighter and its spots a little larger as time went on.
The folk art Christmas crafts eventually involved the use of winter-dried Queen Anne's Lace (for snowmen's brooms), picked from a nearby field in the dead cold of the first days of December. After bringing them in and placing them on the table, it was not a half hour later that the first Ladybug flew onto the table and began crawling all over them.
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Whatever was on those browned winter weeds ~ insect eggs, dead aphids, mites or whatever ~ she spent the next few hours thoroughly traversing them, stopping frequently to seemingly dine. If Ladybug behavior includes some form of "joy" or "happiness" then what we observed was certainly just that. If nothing else, she certainly livened up by a great degree with the dried Queen Anne's Lace treat.
We provided more water for her with a wet paper towel (although we had since observed both Ladybugs on the houseplants after being watered, including on a Christmas poinsetta). The pups soon learned that she was "mom's little pet" and John observed that the little beetles also emit an odor when they feel threatened which is also why we believe none of the pups bothered with them much (except for invariably pointing them, of course).
With each new "fresh" batch of wintered and dried Queen Anne's Lace, she would make another swooping appearance. So soon there were several small bottles filled with little bouquets of dried Queen Anne's Lace around the house, the bottles themselves thoroughly stuffed with wet paper towels so the Ladybugs wouldn't somehow get inside, get trapped and drown.
It is always a small worry that one might alight on not-yet-dried craft glue or get into a bowl of glitter, not to mention landing in a cup of tea or coffee or other beverage. At least one internet site points out that they can be kept in a jar with perhaps a houseplant inside, but the idea of restricting them in such a way just did not seem right. Keeping an eye out for their infrequent appearances (with the help of pointing pups) seemed the better method for all concerned.
During sub-freezing weather, they would disappear for days, but as soon as the sun came out and warmed the outside air a bit, one or the other or both would make another appearance indoors. From information we have gathered, they would not survive being constantly inside actual warm rooms all of the time, preferring to spend most of their time inside wall cavities and the like, which would explain their occasional appearances. Overall, they do not live very long as far as humans are concerned ~ anywhere from a year to two to three years are cited on different internet sites, and it probably also depends on the species.
But as time went on this winter, with the nurturing care we were able to provide, the one pictured here grew a little larger and also became a brighter red with larger black spots. She also seemed to become "friendlier" with time, as if she associated us with food and water ~ or at least she seemed to have somehow learned that we were not a threat to her. Typing at the computer on more than one night, I looked down to see that she had come out from one of her mysterious hiding places and would be sitting on the back of my hand.
On several other nights, she landed on a lampshade on a table between two easy chairs we were sitting in, as if dropping in to say "hello." She also has become quite cooperative when we shoo her onto a finger or a piece of paper to move her to a safer location, such as a nearby houseplant or a vase of her favorite dried Queen Anne's Lace.
We provided more water for her with a wet paper towel (although we had since observed both Ladybugs on the houseplants after being watered, including on a Christmas poinsetta). The pups soon learned that she was "mom's little pet" and John observed that the little beetles also emit an odor when they feel threatened which is also why we believe none of the pups bothered with them much (except for invariably pointing them, of course).With each new "fresh" batch of wintered and dried Queen Anne's Lace, she would make another swooping appearance. So soon there were several small bottles filled with little bouquets of dried Queen Anne's Lace around the house, the bottles themselves thoroughly stuffed with wet paper towels so the Ladybugs wouldn't somehow get inside, get trapped and drown.
It is always a small worry that one might alight on not-yet-dried craft glue or get into a bowl of glitter, not to mention landing in a cup of tea or coffee or other beverage. At least one internet site points out that they can be kept in a jar with perhaps a houseplant inside, but the idea of restricting them in such a way just did not seem right. Keeping an eye out for their infrequent appearances (with the help of pointing pups) seemed the better method for all concerned.
During sub-freezing weather, they would disappear for days, but as soon as the sun came out and warmed the outside air a bit, one or the other or both would make another appearance indoors. From information we have gathered, they would not survive being constantly inside actual warm rooms all of the time, preferring to spend most of their time inside wall cavities and the like, which would explain their occasional appearances. Overall, they do not live very long as far as humans are concerned ~ anywhere from a year to two to three years are cited on different internet sites, and it probably also depends on the species.
But as time went on this winter, with the nurturing care we were able to provide, the one pictured here grew a little larger and also became a brighter red with larger black spots. She also seemed to become "friendlier" with time, as if she associated us with food and water ~ or at least she seemed to have somehow learned that we were not a threat to her. Typing at the computer on more than one night, I looked down to see that she had come out from one of her mysterious hiding places and would be sitting on the back of my hand.
On several other nights, she landed on a lampshade on a table between two easy chairs we were sitting in, as if dropping in to say "hello." She also has become quite cooperative when we shoo her onto a finger or a piece of paper to move her to a safer location, such as a nearby houseplant or a vase of her favorite dried Queen Anne's Lace.
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Whether there will be any additional "good luck" from our colorful little beetle house guests this winter remains to be seen. They are still a little bit of a worry until they decide to leave in the Spring. But it was well worth the time to look into their existence and habits as they have been a bright spot of joy and entertainment this winter. And it has been somewhat satisfying to know we have done what we could to help keep such a beneficial, resouceful little creature alive and kicking, hopefully into the Spring.
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