"Can't hurt living things: ladybugs, not butterflies, not moths with dusty wings, not the cheerful cries of crickets, not grasshoppers jumping so lightly, not dancing mosquitoes, not beetle fat, not creeping harmless worms."
—Christina Rossetti.
The LADY-BEETLE includes a family of small beetles, and it is famous for its advantageous form that it includes a number. With two exceptions, the American form feeds on other insects, in most cases pests such as plant lice and mesenchymals. From their egg hatching to pupalization to the beetle stage, they are common tigers[88] after plant lice. When they devour prey with their bodies, they grab the prey and clip it between their forefoots. Ladybird larvae have an amazing ability to eat plant lice several times their own weight in a day. Farmers and fruit growers are almost impossible to get along without the help of these little beetles, but unfortunately, thousands of people are often destroyed by people who don't know about their beneficial jobs.
Spotted ladybirds; i. larvae; b, pupae; c, adults; enlargement. (After Chittenden, U.S. Department of Agriculture.) ）
The gathered ladybugs; one, adults; b, pupae; c, larvae; all enlarged. (After Chittenden, U.S. Department of Agriculture.) ）
Ladybugs, or birds commonly referred to as ladybugs, are fairly uniform in shape and color. They are [89] oval or rounded in silhouette, rounded or raised on the back, and flat at the bottom. In color, they are usually orange or yellow, square, or black or black spots with yellow or bright orange markings. They resemble small turtles. Unfortunately, several plant-feeding beetles are similar in shape and color, which creates reflections on ladybugs.
The larvae of ladybirds are usually black or dark with red or yellow markings that are very conspicuous. It runs around on the leaves, wide in front and tapering in the back. When the larvae are full, it attaches to the top of the body [90] to leaves, branches, or other objects and pupates. In the pupal phase, it is usually protected by thorns, and when disturbed, it is able to lift the front end of the body up and down, making a slight tapping sound.
Ladybugs usually hide in garbage near tree roots, or in some cases even enter houses in winter, coming out in the spring to lay small numbers of oval yellow or orange eggs on lice-infested plants. They reproduce rapidly and, with the help of parasites and other beneficial insects, can often control plant lice pests.
Check fruit trees, shade trees, truck crops, and wheat fields for clearly marked beetles. Watch them walk around the plants in search of food. Can they fly? Did you find them eating leaves? Do you find any green lice near them? See if they feed on these lice. Examination[91] is also indicated for soft, tiger-like larvae. Do they eat lice? Are they going fast? Do they have wings? See if you can find any pupae attached to limbs or branches, and if so, tickle with a straw or pencil to see them "bow." Document the different trees and plants where ladybugs are found.
Collect a few beetles and grubs and keep them in bottles or jelly glass. Leave them without food for a day, then give them some green plant lice and watch them devour the lice. How many lice can a person eat in a day? How did they swallow a lice? Did they just suck out the blood, or were the lice completely swallowed? Assuming that every apple tree in Missouri has a hundred ladybugs, and each beetle eats fifteen lice a day, wouldn't it seem worth it to protect them and encourage such work? Taking a moment to familiarize yourself with these forms of good works[92] is of great help in the battle against our insect enemies. Draw and briefly describe the different stages of the ladybird.