As a follow-up to the previous post about the life cycle of the ladybug, here are some interesting facts about the little critters:

• Ladybug eggs will hatch in 4-10 days depending on the temperature and species.
• Ladybug larva usually eat the egg case that they hatched from as there first meal.
• Ladybug larva may eat their larval siblings if there is no other food source.
• Ladybug larva will shed their exoskeletons about 5-7 times in their larval stage this process is called “in-star”.
• Ladybugs spend 10-14 days in their larval stage depending on the species and available food.
• It can take 7-14 days for the metamorphosis of ladybug larva to adult depending on temperature, species, humidity, and amount of food eaten during larval stage.
• The ladybugs color warns potential predators of danger meaning it is not likely to be eaten because it appears it may be poisonous or taste bad.
• Ladybugs can also play dead by reflex bleeding this produces a  bad smell and the look of death witch will usually deter predators.
• Ladybug blood is yellow and smells bad.
• Ladybugs can have from 0-24 spots these spots are with them for life.
• You cannot tell a ladybugs age from the number of spots it has.
• Adult Ladybugs can live for 3-9 months depending on weather, length of hibernation, amount of food and predators.
• Ladybugs eat mostly aphids, scale insects, and plant mites.
• Ladybugs sense food with their antennae.

Here we are in the Rose Garden. Everything is just bursting at this point, and as you look into each corner of the traditional-style rectangular garden, wonders can be found. There are both bush roses and tea roses to be seen.

While watering in the greenhouse this morning I noticed a small cluster of eggs. Instinctively I reached up and squashed them. I went on to the next hanging basket and observed the same small cluster of tiny yellow eggs. As I was reaching up to squish this bunch it dawned on me that for the past couple of weeks I had been releasing ladybugs as a biological control. I put down my watering wand, went to the nearest computer and searched ladybug eggs. I began to feel terrible because I had just squashed something I had purposely released to help me.

I have worked in the greenhouse for three years and this was the first I had seen of these tiny yellow eggs. If this can happen to me then it could happen to any gardener, whether experienced or not. To make myself feel better about my silly mistake, I will share some pictures of ladybugs in their different stages of life.

Egg Mass

Larva

Pupa

Adult

Ladybugs are a perfect biological control for all types of growers because they prey on many different kinds of insects or the larva or eggs of insects that are pests to growers. Most species do not eat plants and never become a nuisance outside or inside the home.

The species that we release and sell at our Plant Centre is Hippodamia convergens, more commonly known as the convergent ladybug. These predators feed on many different species of aphids, adelgids, chinch bugs, asparagus beetle larvae, thrips, alfalfa weevils, bean thrips, grape root worms, Colorado potato beetle larvae, whitefly, mealy bugs and mites. They are estimated to consume approximately 5,000 of these pest in their life time.

Female Ladybugs lay between 10 and 50 eggs a day, usually on the underside of leaves near a food source. In two to five days, the eggs will hatch into larvae. They remain at this stage for about three weeks, consuming 50 to 60 aphids or other available food sources per day. They then attach themselves to a leaf where they pupate, and the adult emerges in two to eight days. Depending on the temperature and climate, they will go on to lay more eggs and the cycle will continue.

Life Cycle

No, this isn’t in one of the gardens. This is in the parking lot. Yes, we craft our parking lot as carefully as the various gardens. First impressions are important, aren’t they?

The White Garden is on the path from the parking lot to the Visitors Centre. And yes, everything in here blooms white just as at the White Garden of Sissinghurst Castle in England created by Vita Sackville-West in the 1950’s.