Loving Little Ladybugs

Post by Yvonne Chavez Lombardi, Education Manager at Kidspace Children's Museum
In celebration of the upcoming Valentine’s Day, we would like to express our LOVE for ladybugs!



The scientific name for ladybug is coccinellidae, which means "little red sphere," or coleoptera, which means "sheath-winged." But most people just call them ladybugs, lady beetles, or ladybird beetles. These cute bugs have a special place in the our heart - ladybugs are small, adorable, kid friendly, and helpful in the garden! Need more reasons?

· Because ladybugs eat lots of aphids and other pest insects, many gardeners and farmers use them for pest control instead of chemicals.

· A ladybug can lay up to 1000 eggs in its lifetime.

· Not all ladybugs have spots.

· Ladybugs will clean themselves after a meal.

· Ladybugs come in many colors like pink, yellow, white, orange and black.

· Over 300 types of ladybugs live in North America.

· Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes bad so predators won’t eat them.

· Ladybugs hibernate in large groups in cold weather….how cute is that…snuggling ladybugs!

· Many cultures consider a ladybug to be a sign of good luck.

· Ladybugs are actually beetles, so sometimes are called ladybeetles.

· The bright colors of ladybugs warn birds that they don’t taste good.

· The spots on a ladybug fade as they get older.

See why we love ladybugs?