Spotlight Magazines Spotlight on Mansfield North May 2015 | Page 12

Spotlight Magazine Ladybird, Ladybird Fly Away Home L ast weekend my husband and I spent a long overdue day tidying the garden. During our labours I became intrigued by the number of ladybirds populating the leaves and bushes, which made me curious about the world of this mini beast. Popular with children and adults alike, I wondered how much we actually know about them and thought I’d do a little research. The ladybird is actually a member of the beetle family and its scientific name is Coccinellidae, meaning ‘little red sphere’. There are over 42 different species in the UK, the most common being the bright red variety that has seven spots and is thought to have given the insect its name: “Lady” referring to the Virgin Mary (Our Lady) who in early paintings is seen wearing a red cloak, and the seven spots being symbolic of the seven joys and seven sorrows of Mary. The ladybird starts life as a tiny, shiny, yellow egg, laid in a cluster on a leaf from late spring into summer. Each egg hatches to release a small, black, 6-legged larva which eats greedily and increases in size by shedding its skin three times in its lifetime. The full grown larva eventually attaches itself to a leaf and forms a pupa, from which the adult beetle emerges 1-2 weeks later. Beetles and larvae feed through the summer and ladybirds that hatch early will produce a new generation of beetles during mid to late summer. During its short life span, a ladybird will lay around one 12 thousand eggs. When the colder weather comes it looks for somewhere warm to hibernate for the winter, where it may stay for up to nine months. Very few will survive to hibernate a second winter - one year is the common life span of a ladybird. They emerge from hibernation in late March to April, to feed and mate and begin the process all over again! Ladybirds have brightly coloured wings which beat about 85 times per second while flying. The wings are also used to warn off predators. In times of danger, ladybirds are able to roll over and play dead. They secrete a fluid from the joints in their legs that gives off a foul tasting fluid that prevents their enemies from finishing them off! Ladybirds are a gardener’s friend and should be made welcome as they are one of the best deterrents against garden pests. They eat aphids (tiny softbodied insects) that destroy foliage and plants such as roses and tomatoes, their particular favourite being greenfly. They also eat small caterpillars, mealy bugs, mites and even some scale insects. A ladybird will consume around 5000 aphids during its lifetime. Ladybird, ladybird, don’t fly away home. Stay close by and keep looking after our gardens for us! By Debbie Singh-Bhatti   www.spotlightlocal.co.uk • 01623 706570 • [email protected]