Ladybird :: October Nature Study

While I was clearing the garden yesterday, I noticed a pretty red ladybug near my green bin. I followed it for a little while then asked Celeste to grab my camera. 

I observed the little beetle. I still think of the French word "coccinelle" when I see these.

Later on in the evening, I grabbed my copy of the Handbook of Nature Study book and looked up information for the ladybird as it is also called in Britain, Ireland, and the Commonwealth. 

Life cycle from the Handbook of Nature Study book, page 364.

I learned about the life cycle of the ladybug. The mother lays eggs on plants in the spring. The larva (see the diagram above) is much bigger than the final ladybug and really doesn't look anything like the cute bug. The book also mentioned that these beetles are very common in autumn. 

"The ladybird is a clever little creature, even if it does look like a pill, and if you disturb it, it will fold up its legs and drop as if dead, playing possum in a most deceptive manner." p. 365 Handbook of Nature Study. 

"She runs as fast as her short legs can carry her in one direction, as if her life depended on getting there, then she turns about and goes with quite as much vim in another direction." p. 365 Handbook of Nature Study. 

I observed the ladybug climb a blade of grass. It went all the way to the end of the blade, stopped, then turned back around and walked quickly back. 

It was very cute to watch. 

Barb at Handbook of Nature Study blog wrote about the labybug and included photos of the larva here. The ladybug and aphids were part of the Outdoor Hour Challenge here.