Posts Tagged: Coccinellidae

They Are Not Your Enemy

They're not exactly cute, cuddly little critters. Some folks say they look like miniature alligators or "ugly, spiky orange-and-black buggy...

Dorsal view of the larva of a lady beetle, aka ladybug, on a strawberry plant in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dorsal view of the larva of a lady beetle, aka ladybug, on a strawberry plant in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Side view of a lady beetle (aka ladybug) larva. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Side view of a lady beetle (aka ladybug) larva. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

You called? Yes, those are my offspring. A lady beetle peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

You called? Yes, those are my offspring. A lady beetle peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Becoming a Lady Beetle, aka Ladybug, on Labor Day

If you're an entomologist, an agriculturist, a gardener or an insect enthusiast, you've probably seen the life cycle of a lady beetle,...

Welcome to the world! A lady beetle, aka ladybug, emerges from its pupal case. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Welcome to the world! A lady beetle, aka ladybug, emerges from its pupal case. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The lady beetle, aka ladybug, heads up the leaf, leaving its pupal case behind. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The lady beetle, aka ladybug, heads up the leaf, leaving its pupal case behind. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A newly emerged lady beetle, aka ladybug, peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A newly emerged lady beetle, aka ladybug, peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hey, I'm Eating as Fast as I Can!

Have you ever seen the larva of a lady beetle (aka ladybug) dining on an aphid? Lights! Camera! Action! So here is this charming little immature...

An immature lady beetle (larvae) chowing down on an oleander aphid. This photo was taken on a milkweed plant in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

An immature lady beetle (larvae) chowing down on an oleander aphid. This photo was taken on a milkweed plant in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A well-fed adult lady beetle (aka ladybug) ignores a fat Oleander aphid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A well-fed adult lady beetle (aka ladybug) ignores a fat Oleander aphid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Incredible Aphid-Eating Machines

Just call them the "incredible aphid-eating machines." That would be the lady beetles, commonly known as ladybugs (although they are not bugs;...

Lady beetle larva dining on aphids on milkweed, UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Lady beetle larva dining on aphids on milkweed, UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle, aka ladybug, tracks down more prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle, aka ladybug, tracks down more prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Luck Be a Lady (Beetle)

Overhead in the lady's restroom of a restaurant at the Sausalito marina: Mother to daughter: "There's a lady in here." Daughter: "A lady? Well,...

A lady beetle, newly rescued from the bathroom of a restaurant in Marin County, crawls on an Iceland poppy in a Solano County bee garden. Freedom! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle, newly rescued from the bathroom of a restaurant in Marin County, crawls on an Iceland poppy in a Solano County bee garden. Freedom! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Which way is up? Which way is down? A rescued lady beetle exploring its surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Which way is up? Which way is down? A rescued lady beetle exploring its surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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