Who does the ladybug look like? Why does a ladybug need such a bright outfit? What do gardeners think about the seven-spotted ladybug? How to attract this insect

Since ancient times, the people have considered the ladybug a servant of the Virgin, which is why she deserved such a reverent and careful attitude to himself, expressed in superstitions and signs. Until now, there is a belief that an insect can understand human speech, flies to God and conveys to him the requests and wishes of people. It is believed that the bug lives in heaven and only occasionally descends from there to convey the will of the Lord to man.

See

• Yellow - brings happiness, portends favorable changes.
• With white spots - to the good news.
• Black with red dots - brings success in business.

A lot of bright red insects on the street prophesies a friendly and large family to the person who sees it. For landowners, this is a happy omen, meaning a rich harvest of rye.

• Without spots - the ladybug herself was just born and heralds the birth of a baby.
• With two points - a person will learn to be reasonable and begin to make the right decisions.

In ancient times, by the number of spots on the back of an insect, they judged how many lucky months there would be in a year. The happiest cow is considered to be, on the body of which there are 7 black dots. In this case, you need to release the insect into the wild with the words: "How many spots on the body of a cow, the same number of happy months will be this year."

Save

An alarming and dangerous sign, if a cow patiently crawls along the outside of the window and gets into the web. This may indicate that happiness is very close, but something or someone will scare him away. It is necessary to save the insect and good luck will come to the house. If it is not possible to save, then happiness will have to be fought for.

village

• On hand: on the right - to the fulfillment of a cherished desire; on the left - to improve health. Also, a ladybug on your hand is a good reason to tell fortunes for the future. It is necessary to ask the insect a question and gently blow under the wings: if the beetle rises up, the plan will come true, and if it continues to wander along the hand, the hope will not come true or will come true with a delay. When the bug sits on your hand, you need to count to 22, if it has not flown away before the end of the count, then happy love awaits the person.
• On the head- a happy sign for work. Career will go with rapid steps, authority will increase, if there is some kind of unpleasant situation, then it will quickly be resolved for the better. It is important not to be frightened and not to brush the insect off the head to the ground, otherwise the luck and success that she carried will bypass.
• On the face- promises happy love.
• For hair- to money, promotion, respect and honor. If the ladybug is tangled in curls, then a person will face a rapid transition to a new, joyful and prosperous standard of living.
• On the shoulder- a neutral omen. Nothing significant will happen, but the mood and well-being will improve, and happy events in life will increase.
• On the back- the difficult situation will be resolved quickly.
• On the chest- to a happy life.
• On foot- happiness will come, but a little later.
• On clothes- to pleasant surprises from a loved one.

bitten

Ladybugs have jaws, but they rarely bite, usually bugs prey on aphids. However, if the ladybug nevertheless bitten, then you need to pay attention to this. She can thus warn of an enemy or an enemy who slanders behind her back or tries to slander.

Another sign of a bite: the insect did not like the smell of a person, and she expressed it this way.

In the house

• A ladybug flying into a dwelling is a sign associated with the birth of the first child. If there are already children in the family, then they will be friendly and happy.

An insect will never fly into a house from which bad energy emanates, so if this happens, then you can be sure that the apartment has a positive, harmonious aura. It is not worth expelling a ladybug, as this act will destroy the favorable atmosphere in the house. It is better to plant it on a houseplant near open window- soon the spotted creature will fly away on its own.

• A ladybug flew into the house - a sign that the once lost thing will soon be found.
• If the insect sat on the bed where the child sleeps, this means that he will grow strong and strong. A visit to the bed of a married couple is a sign of a successful and happy marriage, filled with love, respect and mutual understanding.
• If the ladybug emitted a yellow liquid, this is a symbol of health. Therefore, if someone in the house is sick, he will soon recover. In ancient times, sick teeth were smeared with this secret.
• If an insect flew into the room of an unmarried girl, then soon she will get married.
• Killing a bug is a bad omen.

The season also plays a significant role: depending on the season, the sign also changes its meaning.

• The insect settled in the house in the spring - to financial success and profit, in the summer - one should expect career growth, bonuses or promotions. In this case, the ladybug must be planted on the palm of your hand and taken out into the street: the faster it flies away, the stronger and more stable the financial situation will be. If the insect sits on the hand for more than 1 minute, then you will have to fight for wealth and profit, limiting expenses and saving every penny.
• In winter and autumn, spotted guests rarely fly into the house, because in the cold season they hide from bad weather or die. However, if an insect visits the dwelling in September, then this is a sign that there will be replenishment in the family. When a spotted miracle suddenly appears in January or February, the newlyweds will soon appear in the house or a beloved distant relative will arrive. When a creature of God flew into the house during the cold season, the sign will come true only if it is left in the dwelling, planted on any flower.

Mascot

To bring good luck and success into the house, you need to wear an amulet with the image of a ladybug. Moreover, the more spots on her wings, the stronger the talisman.

• One point means help in any endeavor.
• Two - will give satisfaction and harmony.
• Three - will make the owner decisive and reasonable.
• Four - will take bad people, thieves and robbers.
• Five - will help improve mental abilities, awaken hidden talents.
• Six - will help in development and self-education.
• Seven is a divine sign, a promise of wealth and happiness.
• By decorating your home with an object or image of a beautiful and bright insect, you can attract happiness, good luck and security. Such a design for children's rooms is considered a particularly favorable sign.

To interpret the meaning of the sign, when a ladybug flew into your house or into your house, you need to pay attention to the color of the insect and the landing site. Use folk wisdom and check the prediction.

Red, yellow cows - signs of color

As you know, ladybugs come in different colors and some of them have their own signs. Usual to us red bug with black spots warns - soon there will be a moment that will make you smile, laugh. The sudden speaks of happiness seen in a trifle, a simple event.

Black beetle with red spots- to trouble. Higher powers seem to advise you to be more careful. Perhaps this attitude arose due to the dark color of the insect. After all, as you know, black horses and dogs were also treated with caution. Such a beetle also has a bad temper - it bites strongly, it can ruin the berry crop.

yellow- this color is almost always associated with separation. For example, a bad omen -. However, a ladybug of this color attracts happiness. If you managed to see it - make a profit, there will be changes for the better.

If the shell of a bug red-brown with white spots, you will receive important news soon.

ladybug in the house

Flew into the apartment - a good omen, in the near future you will have a baby. Getting into a house where there is constant discord, the bug can correct the situation, bring harmony, happiness, joy to the family.

The cow takes over all the negative energy that reigns in the room. For a lonely girl, the appearance of a bug - soon down the aisle or meet a man with whom a long-term relationship will begin.

There is an opinion that the season should be interpreted when the bug appeared in the house.

• In spring or summer - financial profit.
• Autumn is the birth of children.
• A bright red beetle in the cold season portends a happy global change.

Those cows with 7 points on their backs are considered to attract maximum happiness.

The bug sat on a person

Signs and superstitions about ladybugs promise - if she lowered her head, higher powers send good luck. In particular, success will concern professional sphere. It is possible to increase the career ladder, gain authority among employees, the unpleasant situation will soon change.

It is important not to brush off the ladybug, let it fly away by itself. Otherwise, the happiness it brought will evaporate.

The bug landed on his shoulder- your life will go "as it should", everything will go on as usual, no troubles, no dizzying happiness. Ladybug sat on the hand ask the universe a question, then blow on the bug. It rises sharply, the answer is yes. Will continue to walk - negative.

If a girl guesses, she can find out where the betrothed will come from. To do this, you need to ask “Where will the betrothed-mummers come from?”, Then also blow under the wings. If in the coming year you find "your" man, then the bug will take off. And fly towards the groom.

bug creeping up the leg, make a wish and count from 1 to 22. People believe that if the bug flies away before the number 22 sounds, the wish will not come true. If after, then it will definitely come true. Ladybug sat on clothes - soon you will receive a valuable gift.

Different signs about a ladybug

A ladybug has bitten - higher powers are trying to reach you, warning you of an enemy. Someone weaves intrigues and tries to slander.

In exactly the same way, ladybugs (according to some superstitions) are the embodiment of the souls of deceased people. Meeting at the cemetery with a ladybug - deceased relatives give a signal that they protect and help us. Regarding the number of heavenly messengers, signs always agree on one thing - the more of them, the better.

Many bright red bugs in the green grass portend that a person will be able to start a strong, reliable family. May indicate various chances, possibilities. In the old days, for collective farmers, the appearance of a horde of ladybugs on the field was a good omen, it was believed that they warn of good harvest rye.

The appearance of ladybugs speaks of good changes in life, positive signs. Therefore, when you notice such a bug, remember good signs and be sure that troubles will bypass you.

I talked about aphids, and showed her photo. Today's story about the main enemy of aphids - ladybug. Everyone is familiar with the appearance of this bright red bug with black dots on its back, but not everyone knows what its larvae look like, which are no less important, and are sometimes destroyed due to some similarity with the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle. Today I will show you what a ladybug larva looks like, how it grows, molts, eats aphids, pupates, and who hatches from it. Show adult ladybug beetles different types: seven-spot cow(lat. Coccinella septempunctata) and point-to-point cow(lat. Adalia bipunctata) and tell you how they differ.

The ladybug is perhaps the most widely known beetle. Every child knows him. And most people are quite satisfied with this common name for dozens of species of ladybugs, quite different in appearance, that make up a whole family of beetles with a Latin name. Coccinellidae.

Ladybugs are small insects well known for their bright colors and lack of fear of humans. Most people know seven-spotted ladybug, but the species diversity of these insects is enormous. In the world there are 5200 species of ladybugs, allocated to the family of the same name in the order Coleoptera. Thus, ladybugs are related to numerous species of beetles.

What does a seven-spotted ladybug look like?

Seven-spot ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata L.) This almost round beetle with red elytra and black dots on them is affectionately called in Ukrainian villages - the sun. Indeed, the ubiquitous inhabitant of fields, meadows and gardens cannot but arouse sympathy. For many, it is associated with childhood memories, many at least once held it in their hands and watched how, having climbed onto their finger, the bug spreads its wings and flies "to heaven." But entomologists are well aware that the peacefulness of this ladybug is just an appearance. In fact, this is a real predator. He is constantly in search of more and more new victims, which he greedily eats.

Its wings are bright red with black spots. Everyone remembers this. 3 on each elytron and one common scutellum - a total of seven. On closer examination, we see two more whitish spots: they are located on the forehead. The length of the body of beetles can be different: from 5 to 8 mm. This does not mean at all that a small beetle is young, and a large one is old. It's just that in the first case, the larva from which the beetle was formed obviously did not eat up, simply - it was starving. And in the second - eat your fill. This is where the result is different.

What does a two-point ladybug look like?

Differs from her in appearance two point ladybug (Adalia bipunctata). Very variable in color ladybug. Usually the elytra are red, each with one black spot. May be completely black or black with 2-3 red spots on each elytra. The pronotum in light forms is yellow with an M-shaped black spot, in dark forms it is black with yellow or white sides. Legs and thorax are black, sometimes brown-black in light forms. Mouthparts and antennae yellowish-brown. Body length 3.5-5.5 mm.

The species is very common in Russia. It occurs in fields, gardens, parks, forest belts, less often in forests. Beetles overwinter in the litter in the same places where they develop in the summer. Sometimes hibernating beetles are found in cracks in the bark of trees. Appear earlier than other types of ladybugs; already in the second half of March, it can be found in an active state.

During the season, the two-spot ladybug changes biotopes. In spring and early summer, it is found mainly in gardens, where it feeds on apple, peach and reed aphids, and also settles on other tree species. On the herbaceous plants this time the species is very rare. From the middle of summer, when the number of aphids in the gardens decreases, the beetles in search of food settle more or less evenly on grasses and trees. At this time, they are found on cereals and other field crops.

How a ladybug develops

On the underside of the leaf, the female lays her orange testicles in groups of up to fifty in each. Only one female can lay up to 600 eggs. After one to two weeks, agile black with yellow spots larvae 2-3 mm in size emerge from them. Being quite young, they already show their predatory disposition and pounce on all living things that they see around them. Naturally, during this period, the victims correspond to the size of the predator: usually these are aphid eggs or their newly born larvae.

A month later, having exterminated many aphids and reaching a length of a whole centimeter, right there in the feeding zone the larva turns into a black motionless chrysalis. And after another week and a half, a bug comes out of the skin cracked along the back. After a little rest and waiting for his elytra to harden and strengthen properly, he realizes that he is hungry and begins to search for food.

In the photo, a molt of a ladybug larva. She sheds the exuvium (old skin) and under it is a new skin of light gray color. Insects have an external exoskeleton and are forced to shed the old small one, building up a new large one as they grow.

Ladybugs tend to lay their eggs near clusters of prey (aphids). Thus, ladybug larvae are provided with food from the first minutes of life, however, it is not difficult to find food for them, since the larvae are mobile and run fast. The larvae are small, with an elongated jointed body; some species may have branched outgrowths. The color of the larvae is gray (rarely yellow) with yellow or red dots. The larvae are just as voracious as their parents and can even attack prey larger than themselves. Their development lasts from 2-4 weeks to 3 months, during which time each larva can eat up to 1000 aphids.

The larvae of the two-spot ladybird are campodie-shaped. The head is yellow, only the sides are black. The thoracic segments are white with black scutes. Abdominal tergites brownish with small white spot in middle of almost all segments. The median parascolia on the fourth abdominal segment, as well as the space between them, are orange. This feature is clearly expressed and characterizes the species well. The length of the fourth instar larvae is 5.2-8.2 mm.

What do ladybugs eat

The vast majority of ladybugs are voracious predators and only a few species are herbivorous. Predatory ladybugs are extremely voracious and can eat up to hundreds of small insects per day - aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, whiteflies, and they hunt not only adults, but also eat their larvae and eggs. Occasionally, ladybugs can even attack butterfly caterpillars. The victims of ladybugs are inactive, so hunting for them comes down to simply eating the victim.

Ladybug Enemies

Ladybugs themselves have few enemies. Of course, they fall "on the tooth" of the birds, but they have effective remedy protection. From the articulation of the paws, they secrete a pungent yellow liquid with an unpleasant taste, so birds and lizards often spit out the caught bug than eat it.

In the photo, a ladybug larva with black spikes and yellow spots eats a winged aphid.

Ladybugs have been respected and loved by people since ancient times. Among all peoples, these bugs were considered a symbol of goodness, prosperity, and gullibility. It is interesting that in 55 world languages ​​there are 329 names of these insects, one way or another connected with the concept of God! These insects are called "ladybugs", "lady sheep", "lady cattle", etc. The English name (literally translated "bird of the Virgin") refers to the Virgin Mary.

And this connection arose thanks to the seven dots on the back of the most common species - the seven-spotted ladybug. The British interpreted the red color of the ladybug as a reminder of the passions of Christ, and the seven black dots were associated with the seven sorrows of the Mother of God. Ladybugs were a favorite object of children's folklore, because they willingly sit on hands and clothes, and are available for observation even to the smallest naturalists.

In the photo, a ladybug larva is examining a leaf for the presence of aphids. It would seem that here she is, green, sitting, but the ladybug larva is looking for something on the other side of the leaf.

And for good reason. On the underside of the leaf there is no living place from aphids that have stuck to the veins of the plant. A noble feast awaits the larva!

When the ladybug larva has grown enough and stored nutrients, it is time for the transformation. She once again sheds her skin, attaches herself to a leaf with the back of her body and turns into a chrysalis. After a while, the familiar red beetle with black dots will hatch from it.

What is useful ladybug

Now these peaceful and beautiful beetles continue to serve people. Ladybugs are used on an industrial scale to control pests in crops. Farmers around the world are happy to see ladybugs in their green spaces, moreover, there is a practice of importing large quantities of these beetles to many countries as a natural control regulator. various kinds aphids. Pest extermination - the main task two-spot ladybugs, because this helps to reduce the total number of affected plants.

An interesting story is connected with the seven-spot cow. Knowing about its amazing gluttony and the enormous benefits that it brings in protecting plants from aphids, American entomologists decided to bring (as they say in such cases - introduce) it to North America. They rightly believed that if this species acclimatizes, that is, adapts to the American climate, begins to breed and settle on its own, local farmers will receive an excellent free assistant in the fight against harmful insects. Thousands of cows were caught in Europe, placed in special container boxes and sent to the United States. There they were released everywhere, believing that they themselves would choose the most suitable places of residence. This went on for many years. And all to no avail. It must be said that by no means every introduction of a beneficial insect, as well as other animals and plants, succeeds with ease. Sometimes all efforts end in failure, and the labors are spent in vain. In other cases, acclimatization takes many years. But here's what happened, in the end, with the seven-spot cow.

Desperate American entomologists were already ready to abandon this idea, as one day, a New York nature lover brought to the entomological museum a beetle that he had caught hitherto unknown on the American continent. What was the surprise of the specialists when they found in the “foundling” the one whose introduction and acclimatization had taken years and a lot of money. When investigating the story of the capture of the beetle, it turned out that it was found not far from the main airfield in New York. We began to explore its surroundings and quickly discovered a huge number of these beetles. They perfectly settled here and with appetite ate exotic food for themselves - North American aphids. It turned out that a large batch of Christmas trees imported from Europe had somehow been thrown out not far from the airfield, which had become unusable during a long transportation. With them, most likely, cows were accidentally introduced. In one of the European countries, they settled down for the winter in the midst of these pre-prepared fluffy Christmas trees. But instead of calmly waiting for the arrival of spring, they suddenly found themselves across the ocean. Here they had no choice but to wake up in a warm climate ahead of schedule and start feeding and breeding.

Among all the peoples of the world, these beetles enjoy great sympathy and love. This is evidenced by the names of coccinellids themselves in different countries- always respectful and affectionate. Marienkaefer ( St. Mary beetle) - in Germany, Austria, Switzerland. ladybird( lady bird) - in England, USA, Australia, South Africa and other English-speaking countries. Lorita, Chinita, Tortolita, Mariquita - in Latin America. Vaquita de San Antonio Saint Anthony's cow) in Argentina. Slunecko ( Sun) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Sonechko (sun) - in Ukraine and Belarus. Bobo surkhon ( red-bearded grandfather) in Tajikistan. The word "God's" in the Russian name for coccinellids apparently comes from what people have long noticed: where there are a lot of these beetles, there is always a good harvest.

Olivier

In children, a ladybug is considered a very gullible creature. In Russia, England and Denmark there is a game - a child catches a ladybug and reads a poem to her:

Ladybug fly to the sky
Bring me some bread.
Black and white
Just not hot.

Ladybug, fly to the sky
There your children eat sweets,
All one by one
And you don't have one.

If the cow flies away, then she believed. In England, the rhyme is more cruel:

Ladybug, fly to the sky
Your house is on fire, your children are alone

(from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain)

In Denmark, children ask Ladybug to ask God for good morning weather.

Ladybug family, or Coccinellid

Coccinellidae ( Coccinellidae) - one of the largest families of the Coleoptera order ( Coleoptera), numbering more than 5000 species, of which about 2000 are found in the Palearctic. Within the territory of former USSR 221 species were noted, of which about 100 live in Russia. Beetles of small sizes - the body length of an adult (an adult insect) is from 1 to 18 mm.

The body is usually round-oval, strongly convex, almost hemispherical (the underside is almost flat or slightly convex). In some groups, the body is oblong-oval, more or less flattened. The surface of the body is often naked, less often covered with hairs. The head is small, can be elongated in the longitudinal or transverse direction. The eyes are large, often with an indentation at the anterior margin. Antennae 8-11 segmented, short or medium in length, with club (more often) or without it. Anterior and mesothorax are transverse. Metasternum wide, almost square, much longer than mesothorax. Legs of moderate length, covered with dense hairs. The tarsi are obscurely 4-segmented (they appear to be 3-segmented because the 3rd segment is small and hidden in the lobes of the 2nd), and only in members of the tribe Lithophilini the tarsi are distinctly 4-segmented.

The pronotum is wider than the head, convex, transverse, with a notch of various shapes on the anterior margin. Often - with spots or a pattern of merged spots. Elytra red, yellow, brownish with black or white spots, which, sometimes merging, form a variable pattern; or elytra black with red or yellow spots. Abdomen almost completely flat ventrally, much flatter than elytron dorsally, and consists of 5-6 visible sternites. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed. Sometimes females and males differ in the pattern on the pronotum.

t mizo

Eggs are usually oval, slightly narrowed towards the ends. In species of the tribes Stethorini and Chilocorini, they are short, almost rounded. Coloring of eggs is yellow, orange, whitish; the surface is often shagreen. The ovipositors are usually dense, the eggs are arranged in more or less regular rows, touching each other on the sides. In some individuals of Harmonia sedecimnotata, the oviposition is "loose", the eggs are moved away from each other by a distance equal to 1-1.5 egg diameters.

The larvae are more or less campodeoid, elongated, sometimes flat and oval. In the larvae of cows that feed on worms, the body is covered with waxy filaments. white color. The larvae are often variegated with orange, yellow or white spots. The surface of the body is covered with hairs, bristles, warts and other outgrowths. The larvae go through 4 instars in their development.

The pupae are free, attached to the substrate by the remnants of the larval exuvia. They are often brightly colored with black, yellow, and white spots. The tribe Coccinellini is characterized by an open type - the pupa is located in the larval skin that has burst from the dorsal side. Chilocorini has a semi-closed type - the larval integuments partially burst and expose only the back of the pupa. In Hyperaspini, the pupae are under the larval skin.

The bright coloring of ladybugs - red or yellow with black dots - has a protective function, warning would-be predators, such as insectivorous birds, that ladybugs have a very unpleasant taste. If you touch a ladybug, it will release a drop of bitter, caustic liquid from the leg joints and other parts of the body. This liquid, usually yellow in color, stains the unwary hand and leaves an unpleasant odor on the skin for a long time.

The Real Estreya

Groups and types of ladybugs

In trophic terms, the following groups are distinguished in coccinellids:

• aphidophages (feed on aphids)
• coccidophages (feed on worms and scale insects),
• mixoentomophages (feed on a wide range of insects),
• acariphages (eat ticks),
• phytophages (eat plant foods).

In turn, phytophages are divided into:

• phyllophagous, which feed on leaves, less often flowers or fruits;
• palynophages feeding on plant pollen;
• mycetophages that feed on fungal mycelium.

The vast majority of ladybugs are predators. herbivorous species are most widely represented in the tropics of all continents and in the subtropics of Southeast Asia. Among them are several important agricultural pests. In Russia, there are 3 species of phytophagous cows. On the Far East serious harm crops of potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetable crops causes 28-point potato ladybug(Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata), previously assigned to the genus Epilachna. In the southern regions of Russia alfalfa ladybug(Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata) sometimes damages alfalfa and sugar beet plantations. In Smolensk, Saratov and other regions of central and southern Russia occasionally damages alfalfa, clover and sweet clover beadless cow(Cynegetis impunctata).

jacinta lluch valero

The benefits of a ladybug - a predator

All other Russian species of ladybugs are predators. Beetles and larvae are very voracious and, destroying in large quantities such dangerous pests as aphids, psyllids, scale insects, scale insects and mites are of great benefit to agriculture. Very useful and the most common type of family - seven-spot ladybug(Coccinella septempunctata) - introduced from the Palearctic to America to control local and imported pests.

The most brilliant pages in the history of the biological method of pest control in agriculture are inscribed precisely with the use of coccinellides. Suffice it to recall the phenomenal success that was obtained about 140 years ago, as a result of the introduction from Australia. ladybug rhodolia(Rodolia cardinalis) to California to control the Australian Icerya purchasi, which was accidentally introduced with planting material. It turned out that at home in Australia, this worm behaves quite decently, does not cause much harm to plants. And abroad, it was not easy with him. Plants died, one might say, on the vine. The same thing happened to orange trees in Egypt, Italy, France, South America, Ceylon, India and other countries. Not a single country where citrus fruits were grown has this malicious pest left its attention.

Gardeners sounded the alarm. Scientists have joined the problem. It turned out that in Australia the worm has an enemy - a ladybug called rhodolia (Rodolia cardinalis). They feed on mealybugs and keep their numbers low enough that they do no noticeable harm.

Several dozen beetles were rushed to California and released in gardens. The beetles bred, and after a few years the pest was over. Following California, rhodolia was transported with honors to countries where the Australian worm was outrageous. Everywhere the rhodolia brought order among them.

Jean-Marie Muggianu

Now, without any exaggeration, we can say that the very existence of citrus fruits, as a culture, is due to this cow.

In the citrus farms of our country, the Australian mealybug was not found by the beginning of the 20th century, but in the 1920s it was accidentally introduced (apparently, from Europe during civil war) first to Abkhazia, and then to other regions. The Australian mealybug harmed not only lemons and tangerines, but also the Australian acacia, which is popularly called "mimosa". To get rid of the pest, specialists were urgently sent to Egypt to collect the ladybug. First, the beetles were bred in greenhouses near St. Petersburg and only then released to Sukhumi. We had to check how our climate affects this ladybug.

The effect was the same as everywhere else - the ladybug quickly dealt with the mealybug, saved not only citrus fruits, but also "mimosa", which is given to women on March 8. Our climate is quite severe for rhodolia (even in Abkhazia), so most of the beetles die in winter. These predators had to be specially bred in artificial conditions, and then released into the wild.

According to De Bach (1964), out of 225 successful cases of biological pest control, 51 cases were obtained with coccinellides.

Sarflondondunc

An employee of the ZIN RAS V.P. Semyananov developed methods of breeding, long-term (up to 1 year) storage and methods of using incubated eggs, larvae and adults tropical ladybug Leis dimidiata (Fabr.) to control aphids in greenhouses. An original technology has also been created for the rapid suppression of local aphid foci in greenhouses (even at very high pest numbers) by using Leis dimidiata larvae. This type of coccinellids can be successfully used to control aphids in open ground (at an air temperature of at least +20 degrees), as well as to destroy aphids on indoor plants in residential areas and offices where the use of pesticides is undesirable.

In the family Cocinellidae, 7 subfamilies are now usually distinguished:

• Sticholotidinae (= Sticholotinae)
• coccidulinae
• Tetrabrachinae (= Lithophilinae) - sometimes included in Coccidulinae
• Scymninae
• Chilocorinae
• Coccinellinae
• Epilachninae

The species of coccinellids found on the territory of the former USSR belong to 11 tribes and 44 genera.

Ladybug wintering

For wintering, ladybugs look for secluded places among dense vegetation, leaf litter, under the bark of dry trees, etc. or indoors, sheds, sheds. They often fly into houses, nest between doors, double window frames, in the folds of curtains. If you find these overwintering ladybugs, think about their usefulness, their future role in reducing the number of harmful insects in the garden - it takes very little time to put the ladybugs in a jar and take them to the garden shed, put them down the fence or other secluded place, where they can end their winter hibernation. Some ladybugs have become gregarious, hibernating together in large groups, sometimes several hundred individuals. The meaning of this behavior is not known, but it certainly provides a colorful look.

Philip Bouchard

How to attract a ladybug to your garden?

Of course, you can just catch ladybugs and release them in the garden. It is best to catch ladybug larvae because they are more voracious. But still, so that you do not have to make such captures every time you are attacked by harmful insects, you need to take care of the bait of ladybugs on your site.

For bait, you can plant angelica (angelica), dill, or leave dandelion, yarrow, and other umbellate and small/composite plants in bloom somewhere.

If you have a hedge growing, there is free space, even behind the fence of your garden - plant plants there, bushes especially loved by aphids and never use pesticides there. For example, plant a red elderberry - where there are a lot of aphids, ladybug larvae and other beneficial insects will also remain there.

Gilles San Martin

Tansy, buckwheat and many legumes are also suitable for bait.

To ensure that there are flowering plants that are attractive to beneficial insects for the whole season, you need to start with those that bloom earlier, for example, with buckwheat, which will be replaced by fragrant dill, and so on. You should grow tansy, sweet clover and navel, which bloom for a long time from year to year.

The task of using beneficial insects is not to completely destroy pests, but to control their numbers.

By creating conditions that would combine a favorable environment for beneficial insects and decorativeness, a natural balance can be achieved between the number of harmful and beneficial insects.

artificial food

For best results, the home provided should attract ladybugs to stay and breed in the garden. Nectar, pollen, honeydew stimulate their reproductive process. If there is little food, adult insects can disperse, fly to other places. Therefore, ladybugs can be fed by spraying Wheast on plants.

Artificial food called "Wheast" is a combination of the words whey (whey) and yeast (yeast). Wheast is available as a dry powder. Wheast provides all the necessary nutrients for the growth and reproduction of ladybugs, lacewings and other beneficial insects. Wheast powder is mixed with sugar and water 50/50 and is used to grow insects. US agricultural students have shown that spraying a field with a Wheast/sugar/water mixture significantly increases the breeding of beneficial insects there.

Gilles San Martin

Amateur gardeners can use other baits, including those used to feed bees.

There are also special pheramon baits (attractants).

Today we will talk about an arthropod beetle insect - a ladybug. This beetle is for many the personification of summer and the warm sun.

It is also loved by both adults and children. Where does this insect get such a name and how is it called in different countries?

Scientifically, the ladybug is called "coccineus", which in Latin means "scarlet". BUT folk names in different countries of the world this beetle has a lot and they are all very cute:

• the Germans have a "bug of the Virgin Mary",
• the Czechs - "Sun",
• Latin Americans call it - "St. Anthony's cow."

Where the Russian nickname of the beetle "ladybug" came from is not known for certain. One of the versions is a peculiarity of the beetle, when threatened, secrete a yellow liquid similar to milk. In fact, this liquid is poisonous and is designed to scare off enemies. And the word "divine" means harmless. Another suggestion is that the beetle is so named because by destroying aphids, it saves the crop.

Description of the structure of the beetle with photographs

The size of the bugs varies from 4 to 10 millimeters. Their body is almost round, the abdomen is flat, and the top is convex. Some varieties of cows have small villi on their bodies. The structure of the body is distinguished by the beetle's head, pronotum, chest and six legs, belly, elytra and wings.

beetle head small, connected to the chest and completely motionless. Some species have an elongated head. The eyes are large, the antennae are very flexible.

beetle pronotum resembles a sphere, on the front edge of which there is a notch. There are often dark spots on the pronotum.

Ladybug has 3 pairs of legs. The insect moves quite quickly in the thickets of grass due to the special structure of the legs.

Beetles can fly thanks to the existing pair of wings. There are also elytra that protect the wings while on the ground.

When a danger arises, for example, a bird attack, the bug releases a liquid with a pungent odor that repels ill-wishers. Also, the bug is helped by its bright color.

Coloring of the elytra of a ladybug may be different and the color depends on the type of insect. So, the color of the elytra of a ladybug is:

• scarlet,
• yellow,
• black,
• blue
• brown.

Spots on a bright background are usually dark, but there are also yellow and even white. Some types of bugs may have abstract spots, some will have clear polka dots, and others will not have them at all. Often such patterns can help in determining the sex of an individual.

Types of insects

The ladybug family includes more than four thousand species beetles, which are conditionally divided into families and 360 genera.

The most interesting types of ladybugs:

Habitat

The range of ladybugs covers the entire globe, except for Antarctica and areas with permafrost.

Some species of insects live only on plants densely populated with aphids, others choose reed grass and sedge growing on the banks of rivers, others require only field grass for normal life.

As a rule, these cute beetles live apart and gather in groups only for wintering or during the mating season.

Ladybug is very thermophilic therefore, when cold weather sets in, the bugs fly away in groups to warmer climes for wintering. There are also sedentary varieties of ladybugs, they wait out the frosts, gathering in numerous groups. Such a group can include up to 40 million beetles. They hide in stones, fallen leaves, and tree bark.

The life span of an insect is short. If there is no shortage of food, then their life reaches one year, with a lack of food - several months.

Insect nutrition

All ladybugs, with rare exceptions - predatory insects and prefer aphids and mites. They are also not averse to eating caterpillars and butterfly eggs. If there is not enough food, then the insect will not disdain and eat the eggs of the Colorado potato beetle.

There are varieties of ladybugs that feed exclusively on grass, mushroom mycelium and fruits.

Reproduction of insects and their development

An individual becomes sexually mature in the interval from three to six months. Mating begins in the spring. Immediately after waking up from hibernation, the beetles are ready for the mating process. The female emits a pungent odor, thanks to which the male finds her. The insect lays its eggs on plants inhabited by aphids, thereby providing food for its future offspring. In one clutch there can be up to 400 eggs. After the mating period, all females die..

After two weeks, small variegated larvae emerge from the eggs. Their body is covered with a pattern of yellow, white and orange spots. For the first few days, the larvae feed on egg shells and unfertilized eggs, and when they get a little stronger, they are taken for aphids.

The larval stage lasts from 4 to 7 weeks, after which the pupation stage begins. The pupa is attached to the leaf and the body of the insect is gradually formed.

After a few days, usually from 7 to 10, an adult ladybug appears.

The benefits and harms of insects

These greedy kids benefit thousands of gardeners and gardeners by destroying aphids- the most annoying enemy of all plants. A beetle larva can eat more than 50 aphids per day, and an adult beetle can eat up to 100 individuals. Some specially breed ladybugs on their plots, this is especially true on an industrial scale. Beetles are sprayed over agricultural fields with the help of aircraft.

Despite this, some species of these insects that live in the tropics and subtropics can destroy crops by eating plants. AT Russian Federation there are several such species that affect vegetable crops.