Creature Feature Encyclopedia: Insecta

Ladybug Adalia bipunctata Number of Species Worldwide: 5000

The ladybug is a favorite insect ally of gardeners in temperate regions all over the world because it controls pests without the use of pesticides. Ladybugs eat soft-bodied aphids in vast quantities. As they grow up, the baby ladybugs develop from spiny juveniles into sleek, red adults with characteristic black spots. The ladybug has two pairs of wings. The outer pair are tough, rigid, and not used for flying. They act as a protective shell for the second pair of wings underneath.

~A Fly in the Sky © 1996