Interesting Ladybug Facts
Interesting Ladybug Facts

22 Darling Ladybug Facts

Karin Lehnardt
By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer
Published February 4, 2023
  • Ladybugs are beetles, not bugs.[4]
  • There are over 4,000 ladybug species in the world. In North America, there are 350 different ladybug species.[4]
  • All ladybugs, male or female, are called ladybugs.[2]
  • Ladybugs have two compound eyes, and each compound eye is made up of thousands of small eyes that face each in a slightly different direction.[4]
  • A ladybug's wings beat up and down between 80 and 90 times a second.[2]
  • A ladybug's wing covers are called elytra, which can be yellow, orange, or red, and they often have small black dots.[2]
    • Ladybug larva Fact
    Some say a ladybug larva looks like a tiny alligator
  • A ladybug larva can eat about 25 aphids in one day. An adult ladybug can eat more than 50 aphids a day, and in a lifetime, a ladybug may eat 5,000 aphids.[2]
  • Ladybugs breathe through little openings called spiracles on the sides of their thorax and abdomen.[2]
  • A group of ladybugs is called a "loveliness."[3]
  • Ladybugs hibernate in large groups to conserve energy and to bring males and females together for mating. In the southwestern United States, millions of ladybugs can converge in one place.[2]
  • Ladybugs can hibernate for up to 9 months by living off their stored energy. When temperatures reach above 55 degrees F (13 degrees C), they emerge out of hibernation.[2]
  • If ladybugs are attacked, they release a foul-smelling odor from their knees to scare their attackers away.[2]
  • Ladybugs are almost universally viewed as good luck.[2]
  • Ladybugs are the official insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee.[2]
  • Female ladybugs lay golden-colored eggs.[2]
    • Ladybug egg Facts
    Ladybug eggs are golden
  • After laying her eggs, a ladybug may go back and eat them if food is scarce.[2]
  • In some parts of the United Kingdom, ladybugs are also known as "bishop," "the amazing bushy bishy barnabee," "our lady's bird," and "lady beetle."[1]
  • In Russia, ladybugs are known as bozhya korovka, or "God's little cow." The French call them vache a Dieu, or "cow of God."[1]
    • Asian Lady Beetles Fact
    Asian lady beetles have larger white "cheek" markings and more white on their heads
  • Asian lady beetles were first discovered in 1988 and are known as the ladybug's "evil twin" because they eat monarch butterfly eggs and larvae. Additionally, while their bites are not poisonous, they can cause "pink eye."[5]
  • Asian lady beetles can be harmful to dogs. In one case, when a dog suddenly stopped eating and began foaming at the mouth, veterinarians discovered that over 30 Asian lady beetles had attached themselves to the roof of the dog's mouth.[5]
  • Most ladybugs live one year, but in some cases, they can live up to two years.[5]
  • When a ladybug lays eggs, she lays a few extra that serve as a snack for the larvae when they hatch. These extra '"eggs" do not contain an embryo.[1]
    • Lovely Ladybug Facts INFOGRAPHIC
    Ladybug infographic fact
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