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Lady Bird Larvae |
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Various spp.
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Lady Bird Larvae
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Description
Ladybird larvae are generally blue to black in colour, and have a distinct carrot shaped body with short thick legs. Adults are predatory beetles with brightly coloured markings and oval bodies. The elytra are generally red and black or yellow and black. Pupa look rather like a shrivelled larvae, which are usually found attached to a leaf via strands of silk.
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Lady Bird Beetle
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Life cycle
Adults often hibernate in dense masses in roof spaces and other undisturbed places, and the same sites are often used year after year. In spring, the adults disperse in search of prey. Lady beetles lay between 20 to 1,000 eggs during the spring to early summer months. Eggs are usually deposited near prey, often in small clusters on the underside of leaves. The pupal stage lasts from 3-12 days depending on temperature and species. The adults emerge, mate, and search for prey or prepare for hibernation, depending on the availability of prey and time of year. Adult life spans are usually between 3 to 12 months. |
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Lady Bird Pupa
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Damage
Ladybird adults and larvae are predatory insects which have a voracious appetite for aphids. One larvae will eat several hundred aphids during the first three weeks of development. The adults release a pungent fluid when disturbed. |
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Lady Bird Larvae
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Control
Control is unnecessary as Ladybird larvae are beneficial in getting rid of unwanted aphids. |
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