Lady Bug Growing Pains

While weeding and gardening this weekend, I spotted numerous lady bug larvae throughout the yard. These guys are voracious eaters. My yard has plenty of aphids for them to snack on. I noticed that the ones in the backyard are more mature than the front.

At first they are dark black and bright orange and they are short and stubby like an eraser head.

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As they mature they elongate and become a pale gray.

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I watched this one shed it’s skin and start the final stage of pupa before becoming an adult lady bug.
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10 responses to “Lady Bug Growing Pains”

  1. Tessa at Blunders with shoots, blossoms 'n roots Avatar

    That’s so neat that you could watch that! I probably should be keeping an eye out for them. I remember one year, next to my garage, there were tons of them. I never did see any aphids in that area, so I couldn’t figure out why there were so many in that area.

  2. Karen Avatar

    Cool to see the close-ups of the transformation! I don’t know that I’d noticed that in-between gray stage before. I don’t seem to have too many around yet, maybe they’re waiting for the aphids to descend on my honeysuckle. Any day now…

  3. Zach Avatar

    Wow! I’d never seen any of the early stages before. You did a great job of capturing the transformation. Thanks for sharing the pictures!

  4. Iowa Gardening Woman Avatar

    How Cool! I have seen lady bugs galore but did not know what their other stages were.

  5. Tina Avatar
    Tina

    I just purchased lady bugs and I have a question: how much sugar do you use to make sugar water for the lady bugs, or can you use bird nector or rootbeer? That’s all we drink as far as soda goes.

  6. Jen Avatar

    How cool – I’ve seen these a few times and didn’t know they were future ladybugs.

  7. James Avatar

    When those lady bugs are tiny (lil black alligators) – they are aphid eating MACHINES! Nice pics.

  8. Andrea Avatar

    What a wonderful post! I never even thought that ladybugs started life out in that state, but now that I think of it – it makes perfect sense. Love the “growing pains” title..too cute. I’ll be sure to forward this post to my Mom who is an avid fan of ladybugs. 😉

    1. nkristis Avatar

      Thank you it’s good to hear from you. I hope your mom likes it.

  9. solicitors northamptonshire Avatar

    Just found one of these in the house and wondered what it was, thanks for helping!

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