Hobby gardeners are only too happy to see ladybugs in their plants. Promoting the pretty beneficial insects makes sense and is recommended. In order not to let their larvae get caught in the net when hunting pests, it is also necessary to be able to identify them.
Only the colors of the larva are remotely reminiscent of a ladybird
There is a lack of clarity
Unfortunately, the ladybug larvae do not necessarily make it easy to recognize and distinguish them from other larvae. Because their appearance varies quite a bit from species to species. However, a few appearance characteristics can be filtered out as common denominators:
- flat, uncurved, broad form
- occupied lengthwise by warts with hairy bristles
- spotted pattern
- 3 quite long pairs of breastbones
What is more variable:
- Length: between 1.5 and 15 millimeters
- Colouring: sometimes grey-black, sometimes black-tomato red, sometimes blue-orange, sometimes yellow-black
- mostly resemblance to the later beetle appearance
If you are examining a possible ladybug larva in your garden, carefully feel its body. It is covered with a layer of wax to protect it from ants and other predators.
Another tip: after moulting, the coloring of the ladybug larvae is particularly intense.
In the pupation stage, you can easily recognize a ladybug larva by the fact that it is sitting in a mummy pupa. So she is completely curled up, including her legs, in her metamorphosis rigidity.
Let's take a close look at the larvae of very specific ladybug species:
Seven-spot ladybird larva
The larva of this common ladybird prototype has nothing in common with the later appearance of the adult beetle: it is bluish in color and has lateral, light red spots on the third and sixth segment. The head is similarly colored and beautifully patterned. The body is tapered at the back.
Asian ladybug larva
The larva of the Asian lady beetle, which is now almost the most common in our country, looks quite similar to the later beetle. It is mostly black with light red side spots that lie close together.
Twenty-two spot ladybug larva
The larva of this adorable beetle is also the same color as it will later be as a beetle: namely yellow with black spots.
Two-spot ladybug
The larva of this species is usually greyish in color and has two light red spots on the third segment and a larger spot of the same color on the sixth segment. Her broad body tapers to a point at the back.