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Life Cycle of a Ladybug

Life Cycle of a Ladybug thumbnail
The life cycle of ladybugs has four stages.

Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles, are carnivorous insects that feed mainly on aphids. They hibernate during the winter season and come out of their winter sleep during springtime to lay eggs and start a new generation.

  1. Length

    • The length of the life cycle of a ladybug varies depending upon weather conditions and food availability. On average, transition from egg to adult spans three to four weeks.

    Egg Stage

    • Female ladybugs lay yellow eggs in clusters of 10 to 50 each on the undersides of leaves---for protection from predators---and close to aphid colonies so that hatched larvae have a food supply.

    Larva Stage

    • In three to five days eggs hatch into bluish-black larvae with orange spots. The larvae are long, have spines and look like miniature alligators with six legs. They feed voraciously on the mites and aphids around and shed their skin as they grow.

    Pupa Stage

    • The larvae stage lasts for two to three weeks Then they attach themselves to leaves and start the pupa stage.

    Adult Stage

    • After seven to 10 days in the pupa stage, the adult ladybugs emerge.

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  • Photo Credit ladybug image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com

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